MATCH STATS NORWICH CITY: Green, Colin, Shackell, Fleming, Drury, Marney, Safri, Hughes, Huckerby, Ashton, McKenzie. Subs: Ward, Jarrett (for Safri, 78), Thorne (for McKenzie, 78), Charlton (for Drury, 45), McVeigh. CRYSTAL PALACE: Kiraly, Boyce, Fitz Hall, Ward, Borrowdale, Soares, Leigertwood, Watson, Kolkka, Johnson, Macken. Subs: Speroni, Hudson, Popovic, Butterfield (for Kolkka, 75), Andrews (for Macken, 33). SCORERS: Norwich: Ashton (6) Crystal Palace: Johnson (41) TOP CANARY: Pink 'Un: Craig Fleming Pink 'Un Poll: Youssef Safri (32%) EDP: Craig Fleming ATTENDANCE: 25,102 REFEREE: I Williamson (Berkshire) YELLOW CARDS: Crystal Palace: Boyce (9), Leigertwood (18), Hall (52) RED CARDS: None SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 5 Crystal Palace 6 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 8, Crystal Palace 6 CORNERS: Norwich 1, Crystal Palace 15 FOULS:  Norwich 16, Crystal Palace 15 OFFSIDES:  Norwich 2, Crystal Palace 0

Saturday August 13, 2005
RICK WAGHORN

Norwich City once again produced the performance, but not that all-important result as an absorbing contest with Crystal Palace ended all square at 1-1.

In what proved to be a tale of two strikers, Dean Ashton gave the Canaries the perfect platform for their first three points of the new campaign with a wonderfully struck sixth minute opener.
But four minutes before the interval who else but Andrew Johnson — Palace’s own master marksman struck back to level.

After the break Ashton would see a sweeping, 25-yard shot fall back off the post; Robert Green would tip another stabbed Johnson effort over the bar. But in the end in a thumping contest between two probable promotion contenders, neither side could find a winner and both were forced to settle for a hard-earned point from a highly entertaining encounter.

As the Canaries continued their quest for their opening home win of the season against fellow promotion favourites Crystal Palace, so City boss Nigel Worthington made two significant changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Crewe on Tuesday night.

One change was wholly expected as Youssef Safri made his first start of the summer after making such an impact in his 30 minute run-out in midweek.

The Moroccan international took the place of Jason Jarrett alongside Andy Hughes in the heart of the City midfield with Jarrett taking Safri’s place on the substitutes bench.

The second change came at right back, where former PSV star Jurgen Colin made his first competitive start in a Norwich shirt with Matthieu Louis-Jean dropped from today’s 16.

For Iain Dowie’s visitors — still without either a win or a point from their two opening fixtures of the new campaign, all eyes inevitably were on England’s Andrew Johnson as the Eagles’ favourite continued his sparkling Premiership scoring form in the Championship.

Dean Ashton fires City into a sixth-minute lead against Crystal Palace.

He is also, of course, well remembered for his role in last season’s 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park and more particularly the controversial manner in which he went won that controversial last gasp penalty to deny City two potentially priceless points.

Little surprise therefore that his name was roundly booed by the home faithful.

With Palace kicking off defending the Barclay End it was City who hit the ground running, only for a succession of niggling free-kicks to disrupt the game’s early flow.

When Norwich did hit their stride they did so with devastating effect as they stormed into a six minute lead.

Andy Hughes was the provider as he used his strength to wrestle away from Mikele Leigertwood before producing a wonderful curling cross behind Palace skipper Fitz Hall and straight into the path of the arriving Dean Ashton. Ten-yards out and the England U21 hit-man needed no second invitation to produce a thumping left-foot volley which flashed in off the underside of Kiraly’s bar.

It was just the start that City needed and Palace’s frustrations were evident three minutes later when right back Emmerson Boyce sliced through Darren Huckerby’s legs with the ball long gone — little surprise when referee Williamson swiftly produced the first yellow card of what was shaping up to be a thoroughly entertaining afternoon.

Dean Ashton celebrates his sixth-minute goal in front of the Barclay.

In fairness, Palace responded well to that early setback and indeed, forced Green into a smart save in the 18th minute when midfield youngster Ben Watson worked himself into space from an Eagles’ corner before drilling his shot towards the near post.

A minute later and Leigertwood became the second Eagles player in the referee’s notebook after he clattered into Hughes with the game continuing to simmer away nicely.

Norwich in turn responded in the 22nd minute when an advanced Colin robbed one-time Canary transfer target Darren Ward of the ball on the edge of the Palace box before poking it on to Ashton lurking in the inside right channel.

True to form the City striker smashed a powerful shot goalward only for the ball to whizz a couple of yards wide of Kiraly’s right-hand post.

Five minutes later and the on loan Dean Marney produced his first real moment of note as he sped away from Garry Borrowdale, only for his subsequent cross to curl straight into Kiraly’s arms.

Norwich City fans celebrate Dean Ashton's opening goal.

With the action now flowing from end to end, Green had to produce a fine fingertip save in the 29th minute to deny Jon Macken with an alert Craig Fleming on hand to clear the ball to safety as Johnson prepared to pounce on the rebound.

It was in the 33rd minute when Palace boss Dowie made his first change of the afternoon as Wayne Andrews replaced Macken. Whether it was a lack of fitness or form that swayed the manager’s decision it was hard to tell.

Evidence that this was far from a one way encounter was not hard to find — particularly given the corner count which stood at 8-0 to Palace, nevertheless it was Norwich who were carving out by far the clearer chances.

Indeed by rights City should have extended their advantage in the 36th minute when Huckerby released Ashton clear through the inside left channel.

Clear in on goal, if at a slight angle, Ashton opted to square the ball back to McKenzie instead of shooting himself only for the ball to fall half a yard behind his strike partner and the chance to go begging.

Ashton, did at least, return the complement to Huckerby moments later with a wonderful feign dummy to send the City winger clear on the edge of the Palace box, only for his subsequent shot to spin a yard wide.

City keeper Robert Green looks fed up after being beaten by Andy Johnson for Palace's equaliser.

Within a minute Palace had levelled — and no surprise as to the scorer — Johnson.

There appeared to be little or no danger when Green took an early throw out to Huckerby. Boyce, alert to the threat, robbed Huckerby of the ball and after exchanging passes with substitute Andrews, produced a low curling cross behind a wrong-footed City back line and there almost inevitably was the quicksilver Johnson to flick the ball beyond a stranded Green.

City’s problems were in danger of multiplying in the 44th minute when Adam Drury turned heavily on his left ankle and required extensive treatment from Canary physio Neal Reynolds.

Fortunately City survived their two minute spell with 10 men and though Drury returned to the action before the half-time whistle, it would still be interesting to see whether the Canary fullback would return after the break.

Half-time: Norwich City 1, Crystal Palace 1

As the teams reappeared for the second period, so it swiftly became clear that Drury had indeed departed early with Simon Charlton arriving as a natural replacement.

It was the Canaries who carved out the first chance of the half and it owed everything to the persistence of McKenzie.

Sprinting back towards his own half, he neatly robbed a dozing Leigertwood to enable Huckerby to sprint free.

McKenzie by then was back up on his feet and charging towards the Palace box — his timing duly rewarded with a neat through-ball from the Canary winger, only for Kiraly’s outstretched right palm to push the ball out of the way.

Andy Johnson celebrates his goal with a mock dive.

Palace responded brightly by forcing their way to the edge of the Canary box, only for some thumping tackles from Fleming, Shackell and Colin to slam the door firmly shut in their faces.

Eight minutes after the break and Eagles’ skipper Hall became the latest Palace player to be booked as he produced a thigh-high lunge on Hughes 10-yards outside the Eagles’ box.

Alas for Norwich’s hopes of restoring that priceless early advantage Marney’s sweetly struck free-kick curled no more than a yard wide of the top corner.

With little or nothing to separate the two sides, the contest continued to live on a knife-edge with Palace the next to spring clear as Johnson fed substitute Andrews in, only for his 58 minute shot to angle away from Green’s goal.

With spaces and chances appearing at either end, City stormed forward just after the hour mark, only for McKenzie’s poor final delivery to waste the opportunity. Nevertheless there was still every sense that this game had at least another goal in it, to whom it fell, was another matter.

It needed yet another big, brave block from Fleming in the 63rd minute to deny Johnson, while seconds later Ashton went even closer.

Brilliant close control from a long Green kick saw the City striker spin away from his marker and with the goal opening up in front of him, Ashton swept a 25-yard effort against the middle of Kiraly’s left-hand post with the Palace keeper long beaten.

By now Huckerby was carving into Boyce and in the 63rd minute sprang clear again, only for Fleming to head his floated cross just off target.

Moments later Huckerby was darting inside and drilling a low shot which Kiraly saved easily before swinging a deep shot towards the far post for McKenzie to head wide and over.

With 16 minutes left, Palace boss Dowie looked to break the deadlock when Danny Butterfield replaced Joonas Kolkka.

In the 78th minute it was Worthington's turn to try and spring a surprise on Palace as he made a double substitution with Jarrett replacing the tiring Safri and Peter Thorne replacing McKenzie.

It was certainly fast moving into nerve-jangling time, as the last 10 minutes loomed with both sides well aware that one error now could prove fatal.

Seven minutes from the end and Norwich’s hearts were certainly in their mouths as Johnson found an extra yard in front of Fleming and drilled a fierce shot goalward which forced Green into a fine fingertip save, as he tipped the ball over the bar.

Result: Norwich City 1, Crystal Palace 1