MATCH STATS

NORWICH CITY Green, Drury, Charlton, Fleming, Helveg, Safri, Holt, Francis, McVeigh, Huckerby, Doherty. Subs: Bentley (for McVeigh, 81), Svensson (for Doherty, 74), Edworthy (for Safri, 83), Jonson, Ward. Formation: 4-1-2-1-2

BRISTOL ROVERS Miller, Hinton, Edwards, Anderson, Elliott, Beswetherick, Gibb, Hunt, Trollope, Campbell, Agogo. Subs: Disley (for Beswetherick, 58), Lescott (for Trollope, 68), Walker (for Campbell, 81), Thorpe, Forrester. Formation: 4-5-1

SCORERS: Norwich: Safri (45)

TOP CANARY: Youssef Safri

ATTENDANCE: 18,658

REFEREE: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

YELLOW CARDS: Bristol Rovers: Anderson (42), Elliot (87)

RED CARDS: Bristol Rovers: Elliot (second yellow card, 90)

SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 6, Bristol 8

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 5, Bristol 4

CORNERS: Norwich 5, Bristol 2

FOULS:  Norwich 10, Bristol 10

OFFSIDE:  Norwich 10, Bristol 1

Tuesday September 21, 2004
CHRIS WISE

A run of embarrassing early exits in the League Cup came to an end as a workmanlike Norwich City side saw off the spirited challenge of underdogs Bristol Rovers at Carrow Road.

Youssef Safri's long-range effort on the stroke of half-time, his first goal since his £500,000 move from Coventry in the summer, proved enough to ensure the Canaries booked their place in the third round draw.

It was their first win in the competition for four years, and their first goal come to that, with Brentford, Cheltenham and Northampton all condemning Nigel Worthington's side to early defeats in recent years — and it was a well deserved success.

The Premiership side had their plucky League Two opponents on the back foot for the majority of a one-sided contest and could easily have won the tie by a bigger margin, with two goal-line clearances keeping the Pirates in it after the break.

But the Canaries certainly didn't have it all their own way and might have found themselves under pressure again in the closing stages had Rovers substitute Craig Disley not blasted wastefully over from close range 15 minutes from time.

The West Country visitors gave the Canaries plenty to think about in the first half, even though they had clearly come with a game plan of containment, with the athletic Junior Agogo playing as a lone front man their priority from minute one was to get men behind the ball, and it seemed as though they would be facing a long hard evening as the Canaries poured forward in the early stages.

Youssef Safri blasts in a low effort which went through the dive of Rovers keeper Miller and found the far corner of the net.

With a side showing just two changes from the one that had drawn with Aston Villa on Saturday, the hosts almost went in front in the 11th minute when a slip from defender John Anderson allowed Gary Doherty a clear run on goal. But Kevin Miller spread himself well to block the striker's effort and another chance came and went six minutes later when the same player headed wide from a Paul McVeigh cross.

With skipper Adam Drury then having a close range strike harshly ruled out for pushing from Doherty it seemed only a matter of time before the odds-on favourites made the breakthrough. But, to their credit, Rovers gradually started to come out of their shell as the half progressed and gave their opponents several anxious moments before Safri's timely moment of inspiration.

Agogo sent a shot just wide after a dashing run and Steve Elliott then tested Robert Green with a low skidder before a couple of long range efforts kept the keeper on his toes. Fleming then needed to make a well-timed block to thwart Agogo as Rovers broke again and it was something of a relief when Safri fired the Canaries into the lead in the first minute of injury time.

There was a huge cry of “shoot” as the little Moroccan picked up a square ball from the recalled Thomas Helveg some six yards outside the area – and he duly accepted the invitation, blasting in a low effort which went through the dive of Miller and found the far corner of the net.

Half-time: Norwich City 1, Bristol Rovers 0

Youssef Safri is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring the winning goal.

Rovers made a couple of early sorties into the Norwich box after the interval but the second half was pretty much one-way traffic towards their goal, with Norwich creating a number of clear-cut opportunities to stretch their lead.

Headed clearances off the line denied first Doherty and then McVeigh, while it took a magnificent block from Elliott to keep out what looked like a goal-bound drive from the smaller Irishman.

Miller also made a good stop to keep out a point-blank effort from Damien Francis after a good cross from Gary Holt as Norwich dominated proceedings. But there was one little scare near the end.

Stuart Campbell's free kick from the left caused havoc in the Norwich defence after it had been flicked on and when the ball fell for Disley, some four yards out, it looked as though he had the score. But the Rovers substitute failed to show the necessary composure, blasting hurriedly over the bar — and from then on there was little doubt that Norwich would go on to book their place in the last 32 of the competition.

Darren Huckerby looks to break away with the ball.

To their credit Rovers kept going right to the final whistle and it was a real kick in the teeth for them when Elliott, who had been one of their best players on the night, was harshly sent off for two bookable offences in the space of five minutes, first on David Bentley and then Darren Huckerby. It seemed as though a ticking off would have been more appropriate, with Huckerby forcibly making the point, but referee Kevin Friend decided the big defender had to go.

Rovers deserved better than that having given an excellent account of themselves against top-flight opposition, but there was absolutely no doubt that the right side won the game.

Full-time: Norwich City 1, Bristol Rovers 0