MATCH STATS

NORWICH CITY Green, Helveg, Fleming, Charlton, Drury, Jonson, Holt, Francis, Bentley, Huckerby, Svensson. Subs: Ward, McKenzie (for Svensson, 80), Edworthy (for Bentley, 70), McVeigh (for Jonson, 63), Jarvis.

CRYSTAL PALACE Speroni, Boyce, Popovic, Hudson, Granville, Routledge, Hughes, Hall, Kolkka, Johnson, Torghelle. Subs: Kiraly, Riihilahti (for Hall, 77), Black, Freedman (for Hughes, 89), Derry (for Kolkka, 77).

SCORERS: Norwich: Huckerby (16) Crystal Palace: Johnson (72)

TOP CANARY: Darren Huckerby

ATTENDANCE: 23,717 (96%)

REFEREE: P Walton (Northamptonshire)

YELLOW CARDS: Crystal Palace: Granville (54)

RED CARDS: None.

SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 8, Palace 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 4, Palace 4

CORNERS: Norwich 6, Palace 10

FOULS:  Norwich 14, Palace 15

OFFSIDE:  Norwich 5, Palace 3

Saturday August 14, 2004
MATTHEW CHAMBERS

Norwich City’s return to the top flight after a nine year absence was marked by a enthralling 1-1 draw with fellow new boys Crystal Palace.

City manager Nigel Worthington will be disappointed not to have taken three points from the match with fortress Carrow Road having to stay firmly in tact if there is going to be any chance of City surviving in the Premiership, at least now with a point on the board, they can go to Old Trafford where they face Manchester United full of confidence where their fighting spirit will surely be in evidence yet again.

The match was always going to be a closely fought affair, unbelievably, the game being seen as a six-pointer by both teams even so early on in the season.

Darren Huckerby marked his return to the Premiership with a goal worthy of the top flight, but unfortunately a plucky Palace side never knew when to give up, typical of a team boss like manager Iain Dowie.

Division One top scorer Andy Johnson, ever a danger throughout the match, worked his magic in the box to deliver a second half equaliser and earn a share of the spoils for Crystal Palace, which over the balance of play was probably a fair result.

After last season’s runaway Division One success, City manager Nigel Worthington wasted no time in employing all of his fit summer signings, for the Canaries first game in the Premiership this afternoon.

The new-look City side saw home debuts for Danish international captain Thomas Helveg at right back, former Bolton Wanderers defender Simon Charlton at centre back, Mattias Jonson formerly of Swedish side Brondby starting on the right wing, while Arsenal starlet David Bentley took his place on the opposite side of the park.

The rest of the side pretty much picked itself with fit-again Darren Huckerby, with only 35 minutes of pre-season under his belt, alongside Mathias Svensson up front. Usual suspects Craig Fleming, captain Adam Drury and Robert Green filled in the gaps. Missing from the City mix were new boys Moroccan international Youssef Safri, still recovering from an infection, and goalkeeper Paul Gallacher (groin). Also missing from the City mix were centre back Malky Mackay and midfielder Phil Mulryne.

On the bench, goalkeeper cover was Welsh international Darren Ward, strikers Leon McKenzie and Ryan Jarvis, midfielder Paul McVeigh and in defence, Marc Edworthy.

Palace, making their return to the top flight after six years, gave debuts to six of their new signings. New boy, Hungarian international Sandor Torghelle started up front alongside the Eagles top scorer last season, Andy Johnson. Neil Shipperley and Danny Butterfield are both medium term absentees for the Eagles but it is debatable whether Shipperley would have started due to the signing of Torghelle. Butterfield certainly would have done, but his spot at right back was filled by the promising Emmerson Boyce, signed from Luton during the summer.

Other debutantes for the Eagles were Julian Speroni in goal, Joonas Kolkka on the left wing. And after securing the services of Fitz Hall from Southampton for £1.5m, Eagles boss Iain Dowie threw the player in as a defensive midfielder and the Palace manager went with Mark Hudson, signed from Fulham, at centre back. Hudson played for Palace on loan from Fulham against City last season.

Frenetic pace from City

Darren Huckerby receives his PFA Division Player of the Year award before the game.

The Canaries started their Premiership campaign at a frenetic pace as the sun bored down on a sizeably bigger Carrow Road, thanks to the new Jarrolds Stand being at full capacity.

However, it was the Eagles who had the first look at goal as midfielder Kolkka picked up the ball on the edge of the City box and took a thunderous strike that was manfully blocked by Fleming, much to his discomfort after five minutes.

No quarter was being asked or given by either team as it was evident to both teams of the magnitude of this first foray into the top flight. The tackles were fierce and none more so than that of new boy Jonson’s lunge on Palace’s Danny Granville after just seven minutes, which drew words of caution from referee Peter Walton moments later Bentley won a free-kick on the left hand touchline after being clattered by Boyce. The Gunners starlet was quickly back on his feet demanding the ball from Drury who duly obliged. The England U-21 international quickly collected the ball and played a neat one-two with Huckerby before whipping in a cross to the far post, but unfortunately there was no one there to collect.

After eight minutes, Palace had their first clear attempt on goal as Johnson nodded the ball on to Torghelle, who rounded Drury but could only flash a shot low and wide of Green’s goal. After eight minutes Gary Holt proved his defensive worth after stealing the ball from the feet of a promising Boyce at right back before offloading the ball to Bentley on the left wing.

The City loan player then played a wonderful long ball up the touchline to Huckerby who looked to have the measure of his opponent, Palace stopper Hudson, who did well to get his foot in just as Huckerby shaped to shoot. The ball ricocheted of the defender and fell to Holt on the edge of the Palace box and his shot was again blocked for a City corner.
City were certainly looking the more penetrative of the two teams with Huckerby finding plenty of space on the left flank to weave his magic. Huckerby certainly looked determined to silence any of his doubters and was causing the Palace rearguard no end of trouble with his mazy running.

First goal for Huckerby

Darren Huckerby celebrates after firing in Norwich City's first Premiership goal for nine years.

It came as no surprise therefore that the former Manchester City star would be the man to score City’s first goal in the Premiership this season.

Svensson miss-hit his pass to Huckerby, who was lurking off the shoulder of Hudson who looked to have plenty of time to clear the ball, however lost his footing on the right hand edge of the Palace box and allowed Huckerby to steal in and snatch the ball before slamming home a right foot shot past a stranded Speroni in the Palace goal.

Huckerby, looking every part the Premiership player he is, was clearly buoyed by his strike and continued to be a menace to the visitor’s defence. In the absence of an out and out target man, most of City’s play was aimed at Huckerby on the deck as he looked to use his pace to beat his markers. Each time he took hold of the ball, the City faithful were massively encouraged. However, Palace were certainly making a match of it and certainly had their fair share of possession. It was just that the City defence were looking as Scrooge-like as their previous efforts last season. In fact not only were they looking comfortable in defence but the back four were defending as high as they possibly could up the pitch, which helped to start attacks.

Indeed, City defender Simon Charlton came close to adding a second for the Canaries after 29 minutes. City won a corner and Bentley saw Charlton making a dart for the 18-yard line, played his ball into the former Bolton player who hit a left foot volley just inches high over the bar.

City continued in the ascendancy in the latter stages of the first half with Francis and Holt crossing the middle of the park. After some neat inter-passing play between the Scottish international and Huckerby, Holt sprayed a wide ball through to Drury advancing up the left flank, who managed to whip in a left-footed cross from the by-line which was then cleared for a corner.

On the other hand, the ever-ready midfielder Francis looked to get forward at every opportunity in support of the front two and played a neat one-two with Svensson, but unfortunately a Palace defender was in the right place at the right time to steal the ball.

On 38 minutes Palace midfielder Michael Hughes had to be right on his game as Huckerby bored down on the Eagles’ goal, the Palace player managing to slide in and clear the ball just as Huckerby looked likely to shoot from the edge of the D.

Palace had their best period of attacking football right at the death of the first half through midfielder Kolkka. His ball retention was very good as he juggled in between City defenders but his efforts only saw Charlton the last man of defence produce a superbly timed challenge to clear the danger.

Half-time: Norwich 1, Crystal Palace 0

From the restart Norwich City instantly went on the attack, a clever chip from Francis was collected by Bentley on the left wing who crossed to the near post, which was met by Svensson who unfortunately could not get over the ball and looped his header high over the bar without a Palace player touching the ball.

On 47 minutes Palace had their best chance of the game so far, as the dangerous Hungarian international Torghelle challenged for a high ball with Charlton who he beat all ends up. The Palace striker turned to collect the ball and bored down on Green in the City goal. Green, alert to the danger, sped out from between the posts and bravely blocked Torghelle’s shot which caught the City keeper flush in the face, knocking the hat he was using to shield the sun from his eyes, flying off the top of his head.

Former Norwich City player Danny Granville was starting to make a nuisance of himself down the left flank but on a couple of occasions his crosses were not up to scratch.

Palace had clearly been told to step up the pace by manager Iain Dowie at half-time and were certainly looking to create more openings in the second half, one more so than striker Johnson. The Eagles front man collected the ball on halfway and ran at the City defence, but fortunately for the home team, Charlton was more than a match and as Johnson let the ball inch away from him, the City stopper saw his chance and got his foot in to clear.

Next up it was Torghelle’s chance to threaten the City goal finding himself in a moments space, the Palace attacker was then jumped on by Helveg and Charlton who in the issuing melee managed to clear the ball for a corner.

After 61 minutes, having defended well, City went on the attack through Huckerby, the jet-heeled striker found himself in space on the left, ideally placed for him to cut in on his right foot and unleash a shot on Speroni who did well to get down to save the ball.

City loanee Bentley tried his luck all of 30-yards out with a shot that would have left Speroni’s hands stinging.

On 64 minutes Nigel Worthington made the first change of the game, bringing off Jonson on the right wing and entering Northern Ireland international Paul McVeigh in the fray.

After 65 minutes the heat was clearly taking its toll on the players and when Palace’s Kolkka when down with cramp, every man of the two teams dashed for the touchline to get some water on board.

Ominously Palace were looking more and more dangerous as the half wore on and after 68 minutes Routledge played a diagonal ball into Kolkka who with one touch knocked the ball between the legs of Helveg, but unfortunately for the Palace attacker the ball was just too far in front on him, allowing Fleming to clear the danger.

Breakthrough for Palace

On 70 minutes manager Worthington made his second change, bringing on Edworthy for Bentley, recent substitute McVeigh switched from the right to the left for Edworthy to slot in, in front of Helveg.

Craig Fleming looks in vain for the assistant referee's flag as Andrew Johnson beats Robert Green to equalise for Crystal Palace.

On 72 minutes Palace made the breakthrough as Routledge played a superb ball dissecting defenders Fleming and Charlton to Johnson, who with one touch on the turn, blasted a shot under Green with just a hint of offside.

Palace manager Dowie made a double substitution after 77 minutes, replacing Kolkka in a straight switch for Shaun Derry and likewise Riihilahti for Hall.

On 82 minutes Svensson was replaced by McKenzie who instantly went about making his mark on the match. Holt collected the ball on edge of Palace box and floated in a cross to the former Peterborough striker, but unfortunately the ball was a fraction behind him and he was unable to get any real power or direction on the ball.

After 83 minutes, Francis played a wonderful flick-on on edge of area to Huckerby, who on a half-volley walloped the ball at Speroni, but the Eagles’ keeper did well to save.

After 88 minutes, he was again in the thick of it but his shot from 20-yards out after some neat inter-passing between himself a Holt, failed to trouble Palace keeper.

After 89 minutes, Palace manager Dowie, replaced the combative Hughes for Dougie Freedman.

Right at the death, Palace came within a whisker of stealing the points after Johnson found himself in space on the edge of the box before turning and hitting a half volley straight down the throat of Green.

Result: Norwich City 1, Crystal Palace 1