Town’s long wait for East Anglian derby glory continues after James Maddison’s 59th minute goal saw Norwich City to a 1-0 victory at Portman Road. The Blues, who haven't beaten the Canaries since April 2009, will feel they deserved something from the game having been the better side in a first half in which Jonas Knudsen hit the post and David McGoldrick headed over when he will feel he should have scored.

Joe Garner, Tom Adeyemi and Jordan Spence returned to the Town starting line-up with Dominic Iorfa dropping to the bench along with Grant Ward, while Myles Kenlock was left out of the 18.

Garner began the game as part of a front three along with Martyn Waghorn to his right and McGoldrick to his left, while Adeyemi, who came through the youth system with the Canaries before making a handful of senior appearances for the Norfolk side, was in a three-man midfield with Cole Skuse and Tristan Nydam.

Spence was on the right of a back four with skipper Luke Chambers to the right of Adam Webster in the centre and Knudsen at left-back.

For the Canaries, Marco Stiepermann replaced James Husband at left-back following a groin injury, while Wes Hoolahan, playing in his 10th East Anglian derby, was in midfield for Marco Vrancic.

Town hit the first shot of the game in the third minute, but Waghorn’s scuffed strike from the right failed to trouble Angus Gunn in the Norwich goal.

Despite the Canaries having most of the early possession, the Blues began to threaten on the break.

On five McGoldrick fed Garner on the right, the former Rangers man crossed too deep and Norwich skipper Ivo Pinto seemed set to clear. However, the Portuguese defender tried to turn inside Knudsen, running into the Dane as he did so.

Knudsen, a scorer for Town in the last two East Anglian derbies, picked up the loose ball and took it into the left of the area before hitting a shot across Gunn which beat the keeper but slammed off the post and away.

Town continued to look a danger on the break and on 11 the Blues had another opportunity, a loose ball falling to Waghorn on the right of the box after a corner but his shot curved well wide and eventually went out for a throw.

Norwich threatened for the first time two minutes later, Stiepermann finding a lot of space on the left but shooting well wide.

Yanic Wildschut saw a subsequent effort diverted behind by Chambers then at the other end McGoldrick shot not too far over from 25 yards.

The Blues caught the Canaries on the break again in the 16th minute but McGoldricks’s threaded pass was too far in front of Knudsen.

Then, after James Maddison had shot wide for Norwich, Waghorn teed-up Nydam at the edge of the box but the 17-year-old was crowded out.

Wildschut was next to take a pop on the 18-yard line but Bartosz Bialkowski saved with little fanfare, as he did on 23 when Stiepermann hit a subsequent effort from a similar distance after a Norwich break.

Other than Knudsen’s strike off the post both sides had been limited to shots from the edge of the area and beyond, and on 25 Maddison tried his luck but curled wide.

Garner flicked a header wide from a left-sided corner in the 28th minute, then two minutes later Waghorn flicked a bouncing ball towards goal but too close to Gunn. Nydam behind him might have been able to be more controlled with his finish had the ball reached him.

Spence picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Tom Tryball in the 32nd minute.

Nydam made a superb challenge as Wildschut broke into the area a minute later, then Cameron Jerome got his first sight at goal from a cross from the left but headed well over.

Stiepermann did well to turn a dangerous Town ball from the left behind at the far post ahead of Garner, before McGoldrick volleyed a Waghorn ball in from the left back in the direction from which it came from. Moments later, Adeyemi headed a Knudsen cross from the left well wide.

Town should have taken the lead in the 40th minute after they had been awarded a rather fortuitous freekick, Nydam having slipped as he ran in behind Pinto on the left.

Waghorn whipped over the freekick and McGoldrick headed over from six yards, his marker having lost his footing as the ball came across.

Moments before the half-time whistle, Waghorn had the ball in the Norwich net but the flag having been raised for offside well beforehand.

Town would have deserved the lead had they gone in a goal in front, Knudsen’s shot off the post and McGoldrick’s header over having the best chances of the first 45 minutes, and they had looked the more threatening of the two sides.

Norwich had been largely restricted to shots from distance, while the Blues had defended well when the Canaries had managed to break into the box.

Garner scuffed a half-volley wide after Spence had nodded down a Webster cross-field ball as the second half started much as the first had ended. On 50 Maddison made himself look somewhat foolish with a very obvious dive as Knudsen saw the ball out of play.

Garner headed a dangerous Norwich freekick from the left clear on 53, with Skuse seeing the ball behind after Hoolahan had fed in Maddison on the left of the box.

Town weren’t too far away from taking the lead in the 54th minute when Spence was sent away in space on the right and sent over a cross to the near post for McGoldrick, whose flicked header flew just beyond the far post.

After Skuse had undergone treatment on the pitch, Jerome hit a low shot through to Bialkowski on 58 and a minute later the Canaries took the lead.

Wildschut brought the ball forward and fed Stiepermann on the left, and the full-back cut back to the unmarked Maddison, whose shot beat Bialkowski to his left.

On 6 6Norwich, who had been on top having gone ahead, were forced to replace Christoph Zimmerman with Grant Hanley, then a minute later Flynn Downes took over from Adeyemi for Town.

Chambers was yellow-carded for a foul on Maddison in the centre circle in the 71st minute, then a minute later Downes joined him in the book, although he appeared to win the ball as he challenged Trybull.

Town had looked short of ideas having gone behind and on 76 manager Mick McCarthy swapped Garner and Nydam for Freddie Sears and Bersant Celina. A minute later Norwich switched Hoolahan for James Husband.

The Blues began to make some headway as the game entered its final minutes, a grounded Waghorn turning a shot through to Gunn, then from a Knudsen long throw on the left Skuse scuffed a shot from the edge of the box which Gunn claimed.

On 86 Skuse hit another effort from even further out which deflected through to Gunn, then Celina saw a strike blocked with McGoldrick unable to find the space to hit another effort.

Seconds after the fourth official indicated four additional minutes of time, the Blues went close to an equaliser. Waghorn battled for the ball on the edge of the box before chipping over Gunn but an inch or so past the post.

In the dying seconds Knudsen headed a Waghorn corner from the left wide before referee Tim Robinson confirmed Town’s defeat.

The Blues, who derby winless run stretches back eight and a half years, will be left rueing their failure to make their first-half superiority tell, Knudsen’s shot off the post and McGoldrick’s header over the best opportunities.

The Canaries had rarely threatened until Maddison’s goal but from there they saw out the rest of the game largely in comfort with Town not looking like getting back into the game until the closing stages.

A derby defeat, particularly one at home, is always painful, however this was a game the Blues will feel they should never have lost and indeed ought to have won.

Town, who have lost six of their last eight in the league, drop to 11th in the table following the weekend results with Burton Albion their next opponents at the Pirelli Stadium next Saturday.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Webster, Knudsen, Nydam (Celina 76), Adeyemi (Downes 67), Skuse, Waghorn, Garner (Sears 76), McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Iorfa, Celina, Connolly, Ward, Sears, Downes.

Norwich: Gunn, Pinto (c), Zimmermann (Hanley 66), Klose, Stiepermann, Reed, Trybull, Hoolahan (Husband 77), Maddison (Vrancic 89), Wildschut, Jerome. Unused: McGovern, Husband, Vrancic, Oliveira, Murphy, Franke. Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex). Att: 24,928 (Norwich: 2,009).

Photo: TWTD

Help added 19:24 - Oct 22 To be honest I cannot see the progress others have been talking about. Still looked the same as any previous season under MM. But then same manager, slightly different players so why expect anything different. Passing was not evident. Still lob the ball over the top to run on. No tackles and when we did invariably bad and we get booked. Waghorn dead balls mostly poor bar one. Very few passes to a town player. So often not picking up 2nd ball. Unfortunately I feel Mick needs to change. It won't happen and we go nowhere.

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blueboy1981 added 19:31 - Oct 22 Once The Pride of East Anglia - now justifiably - The Laughing Stock. How can it be seen any different after so long without a local derby win ? - without any further comparisons.
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blueboy1981 added 19:39 - Oct 22 ..... and still the same old, trawl the same old, line of - Acceptance and Excuses .... !!
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TimmyH added 19:40 - Oct 22 On another note watching on TV, I've never known the crowd to be so quiet for a derby - I can't remember hearing any noise or chants from the North end (Bobby Robson stand) at all. Maybe it was Sky and they didn't have the microphones behind the goal as I know they have them everywhere for Premiership games - can anybody confirm? Sad the way things are becoming or have become I should say.

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grumpyoldman added 19:41 - Oct 22 Rensham if you think the only difference between us and Norwich is the fans backing the team, what about the difference in the tactics, the ethos of setting out to win a game not just trying not to lose, the poorly timed substitutions? Take the package as a whole don't blame the supporters for MMs failings
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blueboy1981 added 19:48 - Oct 22 ..... a comlplete lack of confidence of anything to cheer TimmyH - has to be the answer. How can anyone have the confidence of seeing a performance (not to mention a win) anymore.Everyone is in the dumps, apart from a few 'forever happy chappies' - being polite on my part of course ... !!
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:50 - Oct 22 Rensham are you related to Swn and Gcon ?
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Carberry added 20:04 - Oct 22 Where's the quality? We are totally devoid of it apart from the keeper. On the pitch we have nobody who can make a decent tackle, deliver an incisive pass or finish clinically. What have we done to deserve this?
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midastouch added 20:21 - Oct 22 I went today and wish I hadn't of bothered. A real lack of quality where it mattered, i.e. the final third. Unforgivable to leave Celina on the bench, he should of been out there from the start. I would of been really praiseworthy of Mick and the team if we'd of won today but sadly they fell short and I'm not happy at all. I think this was an opportunity squandered as Norwich looked far from unbeatable today. The game was crying out for somebody to run at their defenders and create openings and space . DmG was off the boil today. I'm at the point where I'm thinking should we just stick Folami in the first team and see how he does? And all those corners. Imagine if we had of had big Kieffer Moore for all those. He's of been a nightmare to mark for all those corners and free kicks just outside the box. KM looked like a donkey last season but sometimes you just need a different dimension. 30 minutes to go it would of been great to have sent him on to try and salvage something. I think he should be recalled. If he hadn't of been here last season and we were being linked with a player that had got that many goals in league one already most of us would be very excited. Just because he's tall it doesn't mean you have to hoof it up to him all the time. But he could be handy to get flick ons down to other strikers and he'd be so handy at set pieces. The boy is full of confidence, we'd be mad to let him go cheap to the Millers. Let us get the best end of a loan deal for a change, he is ours after all! I'd love to see us try something radically different, i.e. Celina, Folami and Kieffer Moore. Why not! The only strike that impressed me today for his effort was Joe Garner. He put himself about and made himself a nuisance but sadly none of strikers had their shooting boots on today. Meanwhile we've got one who can score a goal from 60 yards, give the boy a break Mick. Use your imagination Mick please instead of serving up the same old same old! I didn't think Adeymi had a bad game first half. And Skuse gave it his best shot. But the cutting edge was lacking and it's not like we don't have other options. I don't care if they are the senior strikers. They should be undroppable. When a lad can score a goal from 60 yards is that not good enough to at least deserve a place on the bench. So for me it's time to change things up some, Celina, Folami and Kieffer Moore deserve chances. Wakey wakey Mick!

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midastouch added 20:24 - Oct 22 Sorry was typing at warp speed. Corrections to clarify. I meant to say the senior strikers should not be undroppable. And I thought Adeymi did well first half.
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Surco72 added 20:36 - Oct 22 Magic got sacked after a derby win MM should be gone by the morning . He has had long enough and it is not working let someone else have a go before the stadium is empty
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budgieplucker added 20:58 - Oct 22 So Mr Farke an under 23 coach out foxed the wiley old fox. Positives from today: you can take a young and upcoming coach and build a team very quickly without having to spend a fortune. Perhaps our pragmatic methodology in the way we play the game is now to well worn and becoming less effective. A recent interview with the man to change Ipswich towns fortunes. JR ” During the summer you were linked with a move to Ipswich Town in England. Would you like to work abroad one day in England or another foreign League?” MS: “Yes that would be fantastic. There appears to have always been the feeling that I could only work at ADO Den Haag or only here in the Netherlands. I have shown the last 3 years here leaving my family behind in The Hague and commuting everyday to Venlo and sacrificing a lot achieving a 7th place in the first season, The following season finishing 2nd and to become champions last year and to also win the title of best coach in the Jupiler League last season the ‘Gouden Stier' (Golden Bull) award and also the Rinus Michels award for best manager (Jupiler League 2016 / 2017 ) that it was all worthwhile. I am not fixed to just a certain club in a certain country. The moment that a new challenge presents itself I will be open to it and VVV Venlo are aware of this. I am intrigued about other countries and cultures. I would look at the size of a club and the possibilities it offers and also the chance to project my vision there of giving young players a chance and helping players to develop and the club to grow.” JR: “Sitting in your office, I see your framed newspaper cutting about your internship with José Mourinho at Real Madrid. Can you tell me more about that. Did you enjoy it? ” MS: “When studying for my coaching badges to become a professional manager, I was able to do my one week internship with José Mourinho at Real Madrid 7 years ago. It was a fantastic experience to get up close and see how he works on the training pitch and also experience his team meetings. I learnt an awful lot especially in terms of learning how he treated players. He was very friendly but also showed times when he was the boss. It was very impressive to see how he did that when working with world stars on the training pitch. When you study for your coaching badges you must do an internship and I managed to do mine at Real Madrid under José Mourinho due to my friendship with Ruud van Nistelrooy.

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oldegold added 21:35 - Oct 22 ..end of an era in a way.Clearly by morning time he should be gone thankfully.
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Taricco_Fan added 21:55 - Oct 22 We had the better of the first half but overall a rubbish performance from Town. We lacked the ideas and creativity to break down a resolute Norwich defence. Once again we resort to speculative lobbed passes to the front men in lieu of players that can put their foot on the ball and control the midfield. Same old, same old. Absolute garbage. Celina is our standout player and he's on the bench once again. We need a new manager.

3

Mcarthyout added 21:55 - Oct 22 This club has turned in to a joke.but why Mick mc thinks its ok to leave celina on the bench is fuc**d up did any or notice how pisse* off celina was waiting about with sir Bobby chanting
6

Mcarthyout added 22:03 - Oct 22 Get out this club before you ruin us. Real fans proper passion today and once again you still done a classic MM. Never known fans so done with your same old shi* football every week.wake up ME
4

dirtydingusmagee added 22:16 - Oct 22 oldegold , sadly I don't think so, Evans has neither interest or the balls to get shot of him and McCarthy is too far up his own orifice to walk, he still thinks he's '' THE MAN ''. We are doomed to watching this season disintegrate, its just a matter of were you want to watch from , I cant see the terraces becoming crammed anytime soon.
4

shakytown added 00:57 - Oct 23 Currently we are on nothing but relegation form. A few wins at the start of the season might be all that saves us.
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 01:49 - Oct 23 There has to have been some positives from today. Be it the team weren't outclassed or showed a certain level of determination during game time, but the bigger picture would indicate there is cause for concern. Not pleasant to say but truth is, Norwich will more often than not take points from us, not just on this occasion, but this has been going on for years. We will always be the bigger club in terms of stature and history - that can not be disputed - but in the last decade they have arguably risen to be East Anglia's most accomplished team, at least in terms of productivity and direction. Some of a certain age will recall team endeavors when John Cobbold was chairman and Robson had put together a side that could compete with the best British soccer could provide, and not to appear reminiscing, it's only what we got at present time, is so far detached it's almost complete polar opposites. An owner who appears apathetic and / or oblivious to our recent plight and hardly makes his presence known, and with it, a team manager who is subject to ridicule some eigthy-five per cent of the time - and justifiably - who continues to bemuse with bizarre team selection and squad choices. Not to mention a clear deficiency in wanting a game more than the opposition. Don't know where it will all end, hopefully a resignation some time soon or by some chance both aforementioned names have vacated their position, but what is clear, is we're simply either too inconsistent to challenge this league, or truth told we're simply not good enough to occupy any promotion places when the season is at an end. 15 years and (remains) unable to realistically view EPL status, makes you wonder at times if we'll ever make it back.

5

warktheline added 08:10 - Oct 23 @rensham, made me chuckle that! Superb.
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grumpyoldman added 08:18 - Oct 23 Whenever I post on here I check on who votes me down, not because I am bothered but if Swn98 has voted me down I know I am along the right lines
3

Gcon added 09:15 - Oct 23 I hate to add a little perspective here but Norwich were lucky to win yesterday. We were the better side up until the goal and from there we lost the discipline and played a little desperately. Nobody can deny that the quality of football this season has been better than any served up over the last 5 or 6 years. The passing is far better, we have more goalscorers in the team,there is little hoofball and it's great to see the abundance of talented youth coming through. The fact remains that the owner has consistently failed to support this club with his relegation budgets year in year out. I would urge people to hold back on the booing, nothing erodes the teams confidence more effectively and it acts purely as an acceleration of a clubs demise. Stick with them.

0

Swn98 added 09:20 - Oct 23 Correct gcon unfortunately posters on here only see what they want to see until they have achieved their aim of getting MM out some would even prefer to see us in lge 1 to say oi told you so sad people.
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midastouch added 10:15 - Oct 23 Just want to add one thing. Mick argues that Keiffer Moore is not as good as any of our current strikers. However, do you think if DmG, Sears, Waghorn or Garner were all playing in League One they'd all have more goals than 11 by this early stage of the season? And have DmG, Sears, Waghorn or Garner ever scored a goal from 60 yards like Folami? It's time to give these lads a chance. Celina down the wing crossing into big KM would be the stuff of nightmares for both opposition full backs and centre backs. Personally I'd love to see it but I'm afraid with Mick in charge it's never likely to happen! If I were Man City I'd recall Celina as he's going to waste here. He had other options and I bet he wished he went elsewhere as I'm sure he of been being played week in and week out. His development is being stifled by Mick and I just can't understand it! The moment he scored that wonder goal against QPR he should of been first on the team sheet, total waste of wages and talent! He's a name you are going to hear a lot more of in the future, whereas some of these other players Mick prefers will sadly be largely forgotten men by then. And this made me laugh today, tackles flying in everywhere! Norwich vs Sheffield United, 1996/97 😂 pic.twitter.com/gmq5AecBr5 — Football Fights (@footbalIfights) October 22, 2017

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midastouch added 10:35 - Oct 23 And I can see where the Sheff Utd manager was coming from now as well! http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/video-sheffield-united-
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