MATCH STATS

NORWICH CITY: Green, Drury, Fleming, Charlton, Edworthy, Huckerby, Holt, Francis, Jonson, Svensson, McKenzie. Subs: Henderson (for Jonson, 45), McVeigh (for McKenzie, 80), Mulryne, Ward, Helveg. Formation: 4-4-2

BLACKBURN ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Johansson, McEveley, Emerton, Tugay, Friedel, Reid, Dickov, Bothroyd. Subs: Stead (for Dickov, 90), Flitcroft (for Tugay, 72), Enckelman, Thompson, Douglas. Formation: 4-4-2

SCORERS: Norwich: Svensson (56) Blackburn: Dickov (86)

TOP CANARY: Mathias Svensson

ATTENDANCE: 23,834

REFEREE: Steve Dunn (Gloucestershire)

YELLOW CARDS: Norwich: Jonson (36)

RED CARDS: Blackburn: Bothroyd (violent conduct, 44 - kicking Jonson)

SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 3, Blackburn 5

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 8, Blackburn 5

CORNERS: Norwich 7, Blackburn 4

FOULS:  Norwich 21, Blackburn 13

OFFSIDE:  Norwich 1, Blackburn 4

Saturday November 6, 2004
RICH WAGHORN

It could only be Norwich.

Faced with the prospect of playing the bottom team at home with 10 men for the whole of the second half following Jay Bothroyd’s 44th-minute exit, even Mathias Svensson’s 56th-minute opener could not prevent the Canaries following an oh-so predictable script as Paul Dickov’s 86th-minute leveller left a disbelieving Carrow Road to digest yet another home draw.

The warning signs were there when Nils-Eric Johansson slammed a header against the bar five minutes earlier. And the inevitable duly followed when Dickov was rightly rewarded for his tireless second half running with a free header little more than six yards out to break City’s stubborn defensive resistance and a fair few Canary hearts into the bargain.

The final whistle brought a chorus of furious and frustrated boos after Norwich had come so agonisingly close to grabbing their first success at the 12th time of asking, only to shoot themselves firmly in the foot within sight of the final whistle.

For the travelling Blackburn fans they were all smiles as they left for the long journey north, singing “We only had 10 men! We only had 10 men!” – a fact that everyone else at Carrow Road was only too painfully aware of.

As the Canaries prepared to enter potentially the most crucial phase of their Premiership season so far with this game being followed by a trip to Charlton and a further home game against fellow strugglers Southampton, so Nigel Worthington was able to welcome back skipper Adam Drury to his starting plans following his one-game absence with hamstring trouble.

Otherwise it was very much the expected Norwich line-up with Leon McKenzie and Mathias Svensson leading the line with Darren Huckerby in his ‘leftish’ role. The one to miss out was Canadian international Jim Brennan who deputised so ably for Drury in Monday night’s draw at Manchester City. Indeed there wasn’t even a place on the bench for Brennan with Worthington preferring the attacking possibilities of McVeigh and Henderson alongside the experience of Helveg and the midfield skills of Phil Mulryne.

Norwich City captain Adam Drury, returning from injury, begins to wish he'd sat this game out.

Blackburn’s injury problems merely deepened over the last 48 hours with the loss of centre-half Craig Short through a hamstring injury. In his place came Andy Todd to partner Svensson’s Swedish countryman, Nils-Eric Johansson.

With the Canaries boasting the unfortunate distinction of having scored just once in the first half this season the onus was very much on the home side to get an early grip on proceedings. Attacking the Barclay End in the opening period, Norwich did just that and were unfortunate not to take an early lead when Svensson’s fifth minute header slammed against a crossbar.

McKenzie deserved much credit after chasing a seemingly lost cause to finally force a corner. Huckerby’s far post delivery found Fleming heading the ball back across Brad Friedel’s goalmouth where Svensson waited at the far post and having risen highest to meet the ball, could only hold his hands in dismay as his six-yard header slammed straight against the woodwork.

Not for the first time City’s luck in front of goal was against them but it still reflected a bright and enterprising opening for their latest quest for those magical first three points.

With Svensson and McKenzie continuing to cause the Blackburn defence all manner of problems, Norwich continued to press forward with real urgency and in the 11th minute again came close to scoring. Svensson robbed Johansson before rolling the ball out into the path of an overlapping Mattias Jonson whose first time shot across Friedel’s goal sped wide of the far upright.

Five minutes later a wonderful piece of trickery from Huckerby eventually found Francis breaking free through the inside left channel, only for the angle to be against him as he looked to squeeze the ball home. He did, however, force a corner from which Drury lined up from the edge of the Rovers box, only for a desperate block to finally clear the ball.

As the game passed the half hour mark so Norwich continued to enjoy the greater share of the possession, even if the number of pure cut chances were starting to dry up.

On 32 minutes a combination of Svensson and Huckerby managed to rob Lucas Neill on the halfway line which allowed the Canary winger to make one of his darting, trademark runs towards the heart of the Rover defence and in the end it needed three blue and white shirts to shut the door in front of Huckerby as he charged goalward.

In the 35th minute, Francis fired into life with a wonderful run through the inside right channel which found his final shot deflecting up off Todd and it needed a fine reaction stop from Friedel to palm the ball away to safety.

On 36 minutes Jonson became the first player in the book for a late challenge on Brett Emerton, which – committed under the nose of referee Steve Dunn – swiftly brought the opening yellow card into play.

Twice within the space of five minutes City found themselves once more indebted to the reactions of Green as Blackburn at last caught sight of the City goal. On both occasions – in the 37th and 40th minute - it was Bothroyd taking aim from the edge of the City box and on both occasions Green proved equal to his efforts as he palmed the ball away and wide.

Leon McKenzie has to be restrained by his team-mates after seeing Jay Bothroyd sent off for lashing out at Norwich City winger Mattias Jonson.

The game exploded into life in the 44th minute when Bothroyd was sent off for swinging a petulant kick at Jonson away in front of the far corner flag.

The two players engaged in a fairly ordinary spot of push and shove, until Jonson finally managed to clear the ball off for a throw-in. It was quite extraordinary as the Rovers’ striker quickly lashed out at the Swedish winger and after consulting with his assistant on the far side, Steve Dunn waved the red card in Bothroyd’s direction.

At home to the bottom team – the bottom team reduced to 10 men – opportunities knocked like never before for the Canaries to grab their first win in the top flight. If only life were that simple – particularly given the whole aspect of playing against 10 men.

Half-time: Norwich City 0, Blackburn Rovers 0

Whether Bothroyd’s kick had done more damage to Jonson’s shin than was first evident was not clear. What was, was the fact that the Swede failed to reappear after the break as Henderson made his first Carrow Road appearance in the Premiership.

In fairness to the visitors, they were the swifter out of the blocks after the break and for now at least, were making light of their one player disadvantage. Indeed it was Rovers who produced the first shot of the second period when Steven Reid cut in from the right and drilled a low shot goalward which Green comfortably smothered in front of his near post.

With the home faithful naturally feeling that it was all too good to be true to be playing the bottom team with just 10 men and that Norwich somehow would manage to drag another disappointing draw from an expected victory, there was a huge roar around Carrow Road when in the 56th minute, City finally broke the deadlock.

Mathias Svensson celebrates his first goal of the season with Norwich City captain Adam Drury after firing the Canaries into the lead with a left foot volley.

Drury’s excellent first time cross from the left set the chance in motion as Fleming met the ball on the far post and headed across the goal. There it was met by McKenzie whose own header merely lifted the ball to the far post where Svensson patiently waited. His left foot volley was hit sure and true through Friedel’s legs and immediately prompted wild celebrations from players and supporters alike as both suddenly sensed that first victory. Anything else now would be a huge disappointment.

Though everyone would settle for a scrappy 1-0 win, a second goal would certainly settle the nerves and Norwich continued to press forward as Rovers in turn began to look more and more ragged. With City stretching the play to both the right and the left, it was McKenzie who came closest to adding a second with a fine snapshot from 20-yards distance, which sped no more than a yard wide of Friedel’s left-hand post.

Johansson's 80th minute header slams against the Norwich City crossbar.

Rovers were forced to play Dickov as a lone front man and in fairness to the former Leicester City striker he was running his heart out in the Rovers cause although for now, at least, Charlton and Fleming kept him tightly under wraps.

With little more than 10 minutes remaining Worthington made his second change of the afternoon with McVeigh replacing McKenzie who, quite rightly, left to a standing ovation following his tireless effort.

Any thoughts that Norwich’s luck might have turned the moment that Craig Fleming got away with handball murder at Manchester City on Monday night was merely reinforced in the 80th minute when Johansson met Reid’s corner with a fierce header which smashed against the Canary bar. Even then the danger was far from over as the rebound was met with a fierce volley which fortunately slammed against Flitcroft on the Norwich goal-line.

It all set up a nervous final 10 minutes as the Canaries clung on to their priceless one goal advantage.

Blackburn striker Paul Dickov breaks Canary fans' hearts with this last-gasp headed equaliser after City looked like grabbing their first win of the season.

With four minutes of normal time remaining disaster struck when Blackburn won a free-kick, Neill swung a dipping cross into the Norwich penalty area and there between Holt and Edworthy, arrived the smallest player on the pitch in the shape of Dickov and from little more than six-yards out he gave Green absolutely no chance with a swift, sweet header inside the left-hand post.

It was the complete and utter sucker punch that City fans had been fearing and though they swiftly resumed their assault on the Blackburn goal it all looked as though it was going to be too little too late as a disappointed and increasingly dejected Carrow Road crowd looked on.

With the game in the midst of three minutes added on time, boss Hughes span out a few more seconds by replacing goalscorer Dickov with John Stead.

Result: Norwich City 1, Blackburn Rovers 1