MATCH STATS

NEWCASTLE Given, Carr, Hughes, O'Brien, Bernard, Milner, Dyer, Butt, Robert, Bellamy, Shearer. Subs: Elliott, Harper, Ameobi (for Milner, 75), Kluivert, Bowyer (for Dyer, 84).

NORWICH CITY Green, Edworthy, Fleming, Charlton, Drury, McVeigh, Francis, Holt, Bentley, Huckerby, Doherty. Subs: Jonson (for McVeigh, 67), McKenzie (for Bentley, 71), Svensson, Ward, Helveg.

SCORERS: Newcastle: Bellamy (39), Hughes (50). Norwich: Bentley (52), Doherty (74).

TOP CANARY: Damien Francis

ATTENDANCE: 51,574

REFEREE: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

YELLOW CARDS: Norwich: Fleming (50)

RED CARDS: None.

SHOTS ON TARGET: Newcastle 7, Norwich 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Newcastle 10, Norwich 5

CORNERS: Newcastle 7, Norwich 5

FOULS:  Newcastle 10, Norwich 7

OFFSIDE:  Newcastle 1, Norwich 5

Wednesday August 25, 2004
CHRIS WISE

A rousing chant of “Norwich are back” echoed around St James' Park as the Canaries launched a stirring second half comeback to clinch a thrilling draw.

For the second time in five days the visitors found themselves 2-0 down after 50 minutes through goals from ex-Canary Craig Bellamy and defender Aaron Hughes to keep the home side firmly in the driving seat.

It was a repeat of Saturday's televised encounter against Manchester United when the big City side appeared to have the points in their pocket only for the visitors to pull one back and give their opponents a real fight in the closing stages.

Nigel Worthington's side once again had it all to do. But once again they rose to the challenge in magnificent fashion and this time got the result their never say die efforts deserved.

True they needed a big slice of luck with Newcastle keeper Shay Given guilty of a terrible error to gift David Bentley his first goal in a Norwich shirt just two minutes after Newcastle had scored their second.

But there was no luck involved as the visitors stormed back to take a point with Gary Doherty marking his full debut with a well-taken equaliser 17 minutes from the end.

City had a few scares after that, but then so did their hosts and in the end a draw was a fair result and set Worthington's men up nicely for Saturday's mouth-watering encounter against record-breaking champions Arsenal.

There had been a surprise for the away fans before the start of the game when it emerged that all three of City's Scandinavians had been frozen out of the game.

The relegation to the bench of Mattias Jonson and Mathias Svensson had been widely predicted, with Paul McVeigh and new boy Doherty starting the game in place of the men they replaced at Old Trafford. But the fact that Thomas Helveg was also missing certainly was a surprise with the Danish captain paying the price for an indifferent display against Manchester United as Marc Edworthy came in.

The returning right-back had an uncomfortable start, with Laurent Robert skinning him inside the opening 30 seconds. But the City defence soon settled down to the task and survived the early stages with few alarms as Newcastle struggled to get their passing game together.

Robert Green had to dive low to his left to save a crisp drive from James Milner while Alan Shearer almost bundled the ball home from a goalmouth scramble. But the Canaries were looking comfortable against one of the Premiership's big guns and should have silenced the massive home crowd on 17 minutes when Darren Huckerby had a great chance to open the scoring.

A terrible slip from Oliver Bernard midway inside his own half left the Norwich flyer with a clear run on goal and as he slipped the ball past the on-rushing Given the bulk of a 51,000 crowd must have feared the worst.

To their massive relief the ball slid just past the upright when it should really have been nestling in the back of the net.

To their credit City didn't feel sorry for themselves after seeing a glorious chance wasted and continued to give as good as they got in a largely disjointed first half, forcing three quick corners at one stage.

By contrast Newcastle were struggling to get their act together and it was something of a surprise when they took the lead just six minutes before the interval.

Former Canary Craig Bellamy opens the scoring for Newcastle United.

Stephen Carr did well to work some space for himself on the right hand side of the City box and had plenty of time to cross to Shearer, who in turn nodded the ball back into the path of the unmarked Bellamy.

The man who learnt his football at Carrow Road didn't get a clean connection with his eight yard drive, and forced it into the sodden turf, the bounce fooled Green and Gary Holt on the line and the relieved Newcastle fans were able to celebrate their first home goal of the season.

Half-time: Newcastle United 1, Norwich City 0

The opening period had provided little in the way of excitement for the huge crowd – but that all changed after the break with both sides playing their part in a truly thrilling spectacle.

It took Newcastle just five minutes to stretch their lead as Hughes out-jumped Holt to nod home a Robert corner – and things certainly didn't look too bright for the Premiership new boys when that rather soft effort hit the back of the net.

David Bentley celebrates his first goal for Norwich City after his 25-yard shot slipped under Newcastle United keeper Shay Given.

But two minutes later they were back in the game as the old saying “If you don't shoot you won't score” was once again proved to be true. On loan Arsenal youngster Bentley did superbly to take the ball from just inside his own half to the edge of the Newcastle area, leaving a couple of defenders in his wake as he wriggled through.

But there was no way his effort from just outside the box should have beaten Given, with the Republic of Ireland No 1 somehow allowing the ball to slip under his body to gift the Canaries a route back into the match.

From then on the game ebbed and flowed in pulsating fashion with chances arriving at both ends

Newcastle almost restored their two goal advantage on the hour mark when Shearer's looping header was nodded off the line by Edworthy while Bellamy went close with a long range effort that was well tipped over by Green.

But Norwich were also creating chances of their own and Doherty sent a header from a Bentley corner just over before sending the 2000 strong travelling army wild with delight on 73 minutes.

Norwich City players celebrate as Gary Doherty scores his first goal for Norwich City to level the game at 2-2.

There were appeals for offside as the ball broke kindly to substitute McKenzie in the box but the striker was clearly onside and did well to pick out the on-rushing Craig Fleming who fired goalwards. Given produced a wonderful reaction to keep the ball out but it bounced kindly to Doherty, who had few problems rifling the ball into the bottom corner to bring his new side back on level terms.

Norwich almost conjured up a sensational finish when Huckerby sent a sweetly struck volley goalwards, only for it to fly inches over the bar – while at the other end City were grateful when Shearer's shot on the turn from some eight yards out went straight to Green. It was a breathless end to a memorable second half – and this time the away fans were celebrating at the end of it.

One point from two games was the very least the Canaries deserved from their performances at two of English football's great sporting arenas - and now fans will be hoping they can build on their away heroics against, arguably, the best club side in European football.

Result: Newcastle United 2, Norwich City 2