MATCH STATS

CHARLTON ATHLETIC: Kiely, Young, Hreidarsson, Perry, El Karkouri, Kishishev, Holland, Murphy, Thomas, Lisbie, Johansson. Subs: Konchesky (for Lisbie, 74), Euell (for Murphy, 78), Jeffers (for Thomas, 84), Andersen, Fortune.

NORWICH CITY: Green, Edworthy, Drury, Fleming, Charlton, Holt, Francis, Jonson, Huckerby, Svensson, McKenzie. Subs: Bentley (for Jonson, 45), Ward (for Green, 63), Mulryne (for Holt, 64), McVeigh, Helveg.

SCORERS: Charlton: Johansson (14, 21), Konchesky (75), Euell (87).

TOP CANARY: Adam Drury

ATTENDANCE: 27,057

REFEREE: Mr A Marriner (Birmingham).

YELLOW CARDS: Norwich: Edworthy (66), Francis (84), Bentley (90).

RED CARDS: None

SHOTS ON TARGET: Charlton 8, Norwich 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Charlton 6, Norwich 4

CORNERS: Charlton 1, Norwich 5

FOULS:  Charlton 14, Norwich 11

OFFSIDE:  Charlton 7, Norwich 2

Saturday November 13, 2004
RICK WAGHORN

Norwich discovered just how high the Premiership mountain is to climb when they lost 4-0 at Charlton Athletic.

As if the scoreline was not bad enough the sight of Robert Green limping gingerly off with a thigh strain will hardly ease the growing sense of anxiety in Norfolk as City’s quest for a first Premiership victory continues at home to Southampton next weekend — and all in the knowledge that the Canaries are now sat squarely on the bottom rung following Blackburn’s point this afternoon.

Leon McKenzie twice had the ball in the net only to be denied by a linesman’s flag while Radostin Kishishev cleared a further McKenzie shot off the line as Norwich pressed forward with genuine menace at 2-0.

But once late strikes from the two Charlton substitutes Paul Konchesky and Jason Euell had banged the final nail into Norwich’s coffin so the 3000 travelling City fans who had cheered their heroes on till the last were left to contemplate a long and difficult winter with only the January transfer window offering an opportunity for fresh reinforcements.

Phil Mulryne did, at least, grant the fans’ wish when he made an appearance for Gary Holt just after the hour mark but even the combined creative might of Mulryne, David Bentley and Darren Huckerby failed to prise Charlton open after Jonatan Johansson’s two first half strikes left Norwich in desperate need of inspiration.

As the Canaries travelled to the depths of South London, so they knew a slice of unwanted history was firmly within their reach.

For should they come away without their first three points of the season it would equal their worst ever winless start to a league campaign — stretching right back to their 13-game barren run in their very first season in the football league way back in 1920/21.

Faced with such a prospect Nigel Worthington at least had the luxury of being able to name an unchanged side from the one that somehow dug a 1-1 draw from the jaws of a 1-0 victory at home to Blackburn Rovers last Saturday.

Indeed the biggest piece of news arrived in the shape of David Bentley’s reappearance among the substitutes after the on-loan Arsenal youngster incurred Worthington’s wrath by his now infamous Peter Kay impression in training.

Luke Young takes a tumble courtesy of Mathias Svensson.

For the home side, long-serving manager Alan Curbishley made just one change to the side that beat Spurs 3-2 at White Hart Lane last weekend with Kevin Lisbie replacing suspended striker Shaun Bartlett whose two goals set the Addicks on their way to a welcome away win.

With the Canaries kicking off, it was City who forced the first corner of the game within the opening minute as McKenzie and Huckerby combined neatly down the left.

With that opportunity, however, coming to nothing it was Canary keeper Robert Green who was forced into the first real save of the afternoon as he found himself forced to push Lisbie’s cross away after the Charlton striker had swivelled away from Marc Edworthy.

The City No. 1 was the centre of attention again in the sixth minute for rather more worrying reasons as he sat down on the turf gingerly clutching what appeared to be his left thigh — all of which required an anxious examination from Canary physio Neal Reynolds.

Just before Leon McKenzie almost found a way through the inside-left channel only for his final shot to go weakly wide.

The clearest chance of the game thus far arrived in the 11th minute when McKenzie skipped away from Chris Perry on the right-hand side of the Charlton box before lifting a teasing cross towards the penalty spot where an unmarked Gary Holt arrived on cue.

Unfortunately for both the Scottish international and Norwich’s hopes of an early strike Holt failed to get enough purchase on his header and it became a routine save for the waiting Dean Kiely.

City would have cause to regret the miss three minutes later when the home side stole all too easily into the lead.

A deep free-kick into the Canary box found ex-Ipswich Town defender Hreidarsson climbing above Jonson and his header on was met by Jonatan Johansson some six yards out and having gained the one yard he needed away from the covering Craig Fleming so the reported Canary target thumped an easy header beyond an exposed Green.

Norwich’s problems multiplied considerably in the 21st minute when Johansson grabbed his second goal of the contest.

One-time Arsenal youngster Jerome Thomas sent a drifting cross through the Canary box where it was met with a powerful downward header from Danny Murphy.

At full-stretch to his left, Green did well to claw the ball off the goal-line but he was powerless to prevent Johansson slamming home the rebound.

Three minutes later and the Canaries came close to pulling one back when Svensson’s flick-on found McKenzie chesting the ball down eight yards out before firing his first-time shot little more than a foot wide of Kiely’s right-hand post.

DEJECTED: Leon McKenzie.

In all fairness to City they were not at this stage, at least, two goals worse than their hosts but once again that ruthlessness in front of goal was proving the difference.

In the 32nd minute Norwich had to survive another scare when Green’s poorly hit clearance found Charlton surging forward with a man spare.
Once again it was Johansson providing the biggest threat only for his low cross to scuttle straight through the Canary six-yard box without a yellow or red shirt getting a touch to it.

At the other end Norwich – in particular Huckerby – continued to fight gamely on without ever really enjoying the run of the ball.

Twice in the space of five minutes Huckerby would leave two defenders trailing out on the left-hand touchline only for the ball to just run away from him at the crucial moment.

On the third occasion the Canary winger flung an excellent cross along the edge of the Charlton six-yard box only for Murphy to clear as Francis looked to hammer home.

As the interval loomed so the 3000-strong travelling Canary faithful were making it plain as to their solution to Norwich’s winless problems — singing Phil Mulryne’s name longly and loudly.

Whether or not the Canary playmaker would make an appearance in the second half remained to be seen. But one thing was certainly clear City were in desperate need of some extra spark as their promotion bubble continued to burst.

Half-time: Charlton Athletic 2, Norwich City 0

As the second half opened so Worthington wasted little time in making his first change of the afternoon with Bentley replacing Jonson.

Given the scoreline and the overall situation of the game it was tailor-made for the on-loan England Under-21 star to prove his point after that well–publicised training ground tiff with the manager.

Marc Edworthy becomes the first player booked for a foul on Lisbie.

Of more concern, however, was the sight of Green initially sporting a heavy bandage on that left thigh only for it to disappear on the back of a pre-fitness test with City goalkeeper coach James Holman.

It was, however, clear that the City No 1 was not at full fitness as the second period began.

As the second half began it was City enjoying by far the greater share of the possession if without carving out much by way of clear-cut chances.

Indeed it was Charlton that caused the first major alarm when Lisbie and Thomas sprang clear and it took an excellent covering tackle from the ever-alert Drury to finally slam the door shut.

Bentley, in fairness, was making his presence felt and in the 55th minute twirled a 20-yard free-kick on to the roof of Kiely’s net having moments earlier slammed a fierce shot against a wall following a neat lay-up from Huckerby.

City did at least have the ball in the net on the hour mark as Huckerby threaded a low cross into the danger area for an unmarked McKenzie to touch home — he was, however, unmarked for a reason in that he was at least two-yards offside.

Further evidence that luck continued to be in short supply arrived on 63 minutes when Green’s magnificent run of 126 consecutive appearances threatened to come to an end next week when he disappeared with the same thigh injury that he had struggled with virtually all game long.

A minute later and the City supporters finally got their wish when Mulryne replaced Holt in the centre of the City midfield.

By now the game was coming nicely to the boil as a record Valley attendance of 27,057 began to up the volume.

McKenzie comes close to hauling Norwich back into the game as he reaches Edworthy's cross ahead of the struggling Kiely.

Bentley sent a twisting shot straight at Kiely before Ward made his first contribution by palming away a Perry header from a Murphy free-kick after Edworthy became the first player booked for a foul on Lisbie.

Twice in the space of two minutes McKenzie came agonisingly close to hauling Norwich back into the game as first he reached at Edworthy's cross ahead of the struggling Kiely forcing El Karkouri into a hasty clearance before moments later watching in disbelief as Kishishev blocked his shot on the line after Kiely had pushed Mulryne’s earlier shot across his goal.

With the Canaries pushing forward at every opportunity there was, of course, always the chance that they could be caught cold on the counter which is precisely what happened in the 75th minute.

Young found himself free on the overlap and his low cross through the Charlton six-yard box found the newly arrived Paul Konchesky sliding the ball home beyond Edworthy with virtually his first touch of the ball having arrived seconds earlier for the largely ineffective Lisbie.

With the game now sewn up Curbishley made his second change of the afternoon with 12 minutes left as Jason Euell replaced Murphy.

With virtually his first touch of the ball he sent a 25-yard effort skimming little more than a foot wide of Ward’s right-hand post.

On 81 minutes McKenzie again had the ball in the back of the net — again, however, it was ruled offside with this time Huckerby being the culprit.

It was rough justice on the Canary striker who as ever had run his heart out in the Norwich cause without ever getting that little break he probably deserved.

Francis’ frustrations were clear when he became the second City player in the book following a petulant foul on Thomas in the 84th minute.

It proved to be Thomas’ last moment of note as he was replaced by one-time Arsenal misfit Francis Jeffers.

Norwich’s miseries were complete in the 87th minute when substitute Euell made it four. Once again Johansson was heavily involved as he found space behind Edworthy and his near-post cross found an unmarked Euell guiding the simplest of goals home from little more than sixyards out.

Bentley became the third player to incur the referee’s wrath when he was booked for a late scythe on Hreidarsson.

Result: Charlton Athletic 4, Norwich City 0