MATCH STATS NORWICH CITY: Green, Louis-Jean, Fleming, Shackell, Drury, Marney, Hughes, Jarrett, Huckerby, Ashton, McKenzie. Subs: Safri (for Jarrett, 64), Thorne (for Marney, 81), Ward, Charlton, Colin. CREWE ALEXANDRA: Williams, Moss, Moses, Walker, Tonkin, Roberts, B Jones, Vaughan, Varney, Johnson, S Jones. Subs: Rivers (for Varney, 87), Cochrane (for B Jones, 90), Higdon (for Johnson, 90), Turnbull, Bignot. SCORERS: Norwich: McKenzie (51) Crewe: Varney (19) TOP CANARY: EDP: Darren Huckerby EN: Huckerby Ashton Pink 'Un Poll: Leon McKenzie, 41% ATTENDANCE: 25,116 REFEREE: Clive Penton (Sussex) YELLOW CARDS: Norwich: Drury (31, foul on Roberts), Louis-Jean (50, foul on Varney), Shackell (59, foul on Varney), Marney (74, foul on Vaughan) Crewe: Moss (30, foul on Huckerby) RED CARDS: None. SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 6, Crewe 6 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 10, Crewe 2 CORNERS: Norwich 14, Crewe 8 FOULS:  Norwich 8, Crewe 7 OFFSIDES:  Norwich 8, Crewe 0

Tuesday August 9, 2005
CHRIS LAKEY

The Canaries dropped home points for the second time in less than a week as Fortress Carrow Road once again revealed its cracks. But while Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Coventry was down to a lacklustre second-half performance, tonight's offering was a very different story. Against a well-drilled Crewe side it was City’s much vaunted strike force which failed to fire on all cylinders.

Although Leon McKenzie opened his account for the season with City’s equaliser, both he and Dean Ashton were guilty of missing gilt-edged chances that would have seen off less resilient opposition.

Having stood toe to toe with Crewe for the opening 45 minutes, Norwich threw everything but the kitchen sink at them in the second half – all to no avail.

It’s been a harsh welcome back to the Championship, but at least the boos at the end of tonight’s game were more isolated than they were on Saturday.

City boss Nigel Worthington made two changes to that side, Jason Jarrett given his first competitive start in place of Simon Charlton with Jason Shackell replacing Gary Doherty in the heart of the City defence.

Crewe were quickly into their passing game and as soon as City began to find a rhythm the visitors hit back to upset it.

Ashton, facing his old team for the first time having swapped Gresty Road for Carrow Road in January, really should have put the Canaries ahead on 13 minutes, but blew his big chance. A one-two with Dean Marney on the edge of the box didn’t come off, but the ball fell kindly to Ashton who found himself with only goalkeeper Ben Williams to beat – and blasted it high over the crossbar.

City were indebted to Robert Green moments later when he did well to palm over Luke Varney’s close-range header. Both teams’ main strikers had now had their sighters and it was just a matter of who was going to score first.

Leon McKenzie stretches but is unable to force the ball into a gaping goal against Crewe. The effort would have been ruled offside anyway.

Varney answered that question on 19 minutes picking up the ball on the edge of City’s area and carefully placing a left foot shot past Green’s right hand.

City hit back with Ashton and Marney both going close, the Spurs loan player hitting a 30-yard free-kick against Williams’ post.

City had a clear chance to equalise as half-time approached but McKenzie somehow spooned an Ashton cross over from close range.

Half-time: Norwich City 0, Crewe Alexandra 1

A City equaliser seemed to be only a matter of time in coming and, sure enough, with six minutes of the second half gone McKenzie made up for his previous miss with his first goal of the campaign.

It all started with Green, who threw a long ball out to Darren Huckerby on the left who pushed it wide to Adam Drury. He crossed low into the area, McKenzie controlled it and with his back to goal held off a defender and pushed a shot past the keeper.

Crewe, to their credit tried to respond but City soaked up the immediate pressure and launched their own offensive which lasted for most of the rest of the game.

Leon McKenzie, on the ground, watches his second-half equaliser beat Crewe keeper Ben Williams.

McKenzie headed narrowly wide from Huckerby’s cross while Ashton’s shot from an acute angle was just inches away from the toe of Marney at the far post.

Worthington replaced Jarrett with Youssef Safri and the Moroccan, playing his first football of the summer, almost got the winner with his first touch, Williams getting enough hand on the ball to allow Crewe to clear.

It was one-way traffic with Huckerby running Crewe ragged but Norwich were desperate for a winner and Crewe were doing everything they could to upset the Canaries’ rhythm.

Worthington threw on striker Peter Thorne for Marney as City desperately chased a winner, but it was not to be.

Safri tried his luck from 20 yards and there was encouragement when the officials added five minutes of time on at the end. But, despite piling every man forward, City were unable to breakthrough Crewe’s rear guard.

Result: Norwich City 1, Crewe Alexandra 1