MATCH STATS NORWICH CITY: Green, Colin, Davenport, Doherty, Drury, McVeigh, Hughes, Safri, Brennan, Ashton, Lisbie. Subs: Huckerby (for McVeigh, 61), Henderson (for Brennan, 74), Colin (for Fleming, 85), Ward, Marney. READING: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Gunnarsson, Makin, Little, Harper, Ingimarsson, Convey, Lita, Doyle. Subs: Obinna (for Lita, 78), Federici, Hunt, Oster, Cox. SCORERS: Reading: Harper (61) TOP CANARY: Pink 'Un: Youssef Safri EDP: Gary Doherty PinkUn Poll: Gary Doherty (37%) ATTENDANCE: 24,850 REFEREE: Trevor Kettle (Rutland) YELLOW CARDS: Norwich: Hughes (late challenge on Makin, 19) Reading: Murty (clipped Drury, 56), Makin (dissent, 90) RED CARDS: None ADDED TIME: First half: 5 mins Second half: 3 mins SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 3, Reading 3 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 12, Reading 7 CORNERS: Norwich 7, Reading 4 FOULS:  Norwich 15, Reading 10 OFFSIDES:  Norwich 8, Reading 3 CONDITIONS: Pitch: Excellent Weather: Sunny

Saturday September 24, 2005
RICK WAGHORN

City striker Dean Ashton blew a glorious chance to salvage at least a point from the home clash with high-flying Reading when he missed a 90th minute penalty.

The Royals appeared to be escaping back to Berkshire with a classic, 1-0, smash-and-grab raid after James Harper’s 61st minute shot had punished an otherwise largely untroubled Canary defence.

With Andy Hughes, Darren Huckerby and Ashton himself all spurning half-chances to level, everyone’s hopes were pinned on Ashton’s unerring ability from the penalty spot after referee Trevor Kettle had finally decided that on-loan Canary defender Calum Davenport had, indeed, been fouled by Royals winger Bobby Convey just inside the box.

It was Ashton’s nervy run up that gave the game away. Because the kick that followed had anxiety written all over it as it bobbled a good yard wide of Marcus Hahnemann’s right upright.

Having made so much progress last week — in particular with that 1-0 derby win at Ipswich Town — the Canaries managed to take another step back in the shape of this thoroughly miserable result.

The only saving grace is the fact that they have an early opportunity to make amends on Tuesday night with the home clash against Hull City. Ashton’s head, in particular, will need to be lifted following his last minute horror which merely piled the pressure back on the Canaries.

When the teams were unveiled for the clash at Carrow Road there was little doubt as to the biggest surprise — the sight of derby hero Huckerby resuming his place on the bench.

After taking a starring role in last Sunday’s 1-0 success before putting the Canaries en-route to their third round Carling Cup trip to Birmingham City with Tuesday night’s comfortable 2-0 success against Northampton Town, the presumption was that Huckerby would again start today’s contest. However he was back on the bench — a position that probably owed more for the heavy whack on his knee he sustained in the Cobblers’ clash than any lasting sign that Canary boss Nigel Worthington had lost faith in his star turn.

Joining Huckerby on the bench was ex-City skipper Craig Fleming after Jurgen Colin returned from his midweek rest against Northampton to resume his right-back duties.

Medical staff gather round Dean Ashton on the floor after he clashed heads with Reading's Graeme Murty.

There was also no place in Worthington’s starting plan for on-loan Spurs youngster Dean Marney who found a combination of Paul McVeigh at the tip of City’s midfield diamond and Brennan on his ‘left point’ limiting his starting chances.

At the back there was also a home debut for England-U21 defender Calum Davenport who has made such a dramatic difference since his inclusion in the City rear guard.

For the visitors, flying high in second in the Championship - and all with an unbeaten away record to their name – manager Steve Coppell was still unable to call upon two key names with midfield ace Steve Sidwell and striker Dave Kitson both unavailable through injury. All eyes would, however, be on Leroy Lita whose £1m switch from Bristol city this summer has already been rewarded with six goals.

It was the visitors who kicked-off and immediately took the game to their hosts – forcing two early corners as they attacked towards the Norwich and Peterborough end. From the second it needed a brave diving header from Gary Doherty to clear the danger with a spectacular overhead kick from the ever-alert Youssef Safri completing the clearance.

The Canaries’ Kevin Lisbie, partnering Ashton upfront, forced a seventh minute corner only for Icelandic centre-half Ivar Ingimarsson to swiftly clear the danger.

Early Reading pressure over, the Canaries began to enjoy the greater share of possession with former Royals favourite Andy Hughes looking particularly up for the contest. On three occasions Hughes would work himself into good positions away on the right-hand side, and sweep teasing crosses into the Reading danger area. It was from the fourth, however, in the 14th minute that the first real moment of note emerged.

Ashton rose bravely to head the ball only to find himself involved in an ugly-looking clash of heads with Reading skipper Murty. Both players immediately went down dazed and needed immediate treatment from the respective physios. It was Ashton, however, who emerged the groggier when, having gingerly lifted himself to his feet, there was a moment of genuine alarm when his legs buckled again beneath him.

City Physio Heal Reynolds swiftly called for the club doctor and the stretcher, but after a lengthy delay and a careful examination on the touchline, Ashton decided he was fit enough to continue and returned to loud applause.

In the meantime, the game had its first booking as City skipper Hughes was left seeing yellow by card-happy ref Trevor Kettle for a relatively innocuous late challenge on Chris Makin

Jim Brennan lends a helping hand as Dean Ashton gets some attention from physio Neal Reynolds after his head injury.

The reason why Reading are where they are in the table became apparent either side of the half-hour mark as the Royals forced two quick chances. First a rare slip from Davenport allowed USA international Bobby Convey to drill a first-time, snapshot just wide of Green’s left-hand post; while on 30 minutes a typically swift and slick Reading move finally found one-time Burnley winger Glen Little storming unmarked through the inside-right channel, and it needed a magnificent, spreading block from Green to deny the visitors an opening goal.

In what was fast proving to be a tight, cagey encounter Ashton was again at the centre of the action when he and Murty again rose for a header, and again clashed heads. This time, however, it was the Reading skipper who fared the worst only for Icelandic international Brynjar Gunnarsson to decide to take action as he pushed Ashton away in front of the referee’s nose. Mystifyingly the official opted to take no action which can’t have pleased a watching Hughes.

City’s best moment of the opening period arrived in the 36th minute, and owed much to the invention of McVeigh. For having brilliantly lost the attention of Murty, the little City striker delivered a wonderful hanging cross to the far post where Ashton waited. Having headed the ball down and goalward it forced Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann into a fine one-handed save only for the chance to be ruled out for an apparent push.

As the half-time interval approached so both teams were looking for that all important opener and a way in on goal. With the referee’s whistle blowing all too often for either the intervention of the linesman’s flag or another soft-appearing tackle, the game began to lose its early flow.

Ashton’s lengthy injury following his clash of heads did, however, ensure a full five minutes of added on time in which the Canaries would continue to try somehow to prise the visitors apart.

Seconds later and the first-half stalemate was brought to a close by referee Kettle perhaps, not for the first time this week, it would be Huckerby’s second-half arrival that would make all the difference.

Half-time: Norwich City 0, Reading 0

The second half was barely a minute old before opportunity appeared to knock for the Canaries.

Safri swung a deep free-kick towards the far post where, distracted by Davenport’s run, the Reading defence left Ashton wholly unattended only for the Canary striker to lift his eight-yard volley high over the bar.

With the referee apparently blowing his whistle for an earlier infringement it was still an excellent opportunity that had Reading firmly on the back foot in the game’s opening stages.

Moments later and it was McVeigh wriggling his way to the edge of the Reading box only for his final shot to float well wide.

With City enjoying by far the better of the second half’s early exchanges, it was Lisbie who threatened next. Safri broke out from deep in the City half before releasing McVeigh who darted headlong deep into enemy territory. As the Reading defence closed so McVeigh in turn released Lisbie through the inside-left channel, the on-loan Charlton striker looked up, picked his spot and waited for the ball to arrow inside Hahnemann’s left upright only for the goalkeeper’s outstretched arm to push the ball wide for a corner.

With City firmly on the front foot, Reading skipper Murty became the second player booked when he clipped the on-running Drury in the 56th minute.

As the game reached the hour mark, so the crowd’s sense of anticipation grew as Huckerby waited to be thrown into the fray. The City star’s presence would be sorely needed as Reading stole into the lead in the 61st minute.

Doyle stole a yard on Davenport and sent the ball inside to a lurking Harper. Doherty, Drury and Colin all closed down the Reading midfielder and duly blocked his first shot. The ball, however, rolled back sweetly into Harper's path and from 15 yards out he drilled a low shot beyond Green’s despairing dive and inside his left-hand post.

Seconds later and City finally made their change as Worthington, to the crowd’s obvious displeasure — replaced McVeigh with Huckerby.

To City’s credit they stormed back strongly into the game and having forced Reading firmly back into their own half came agonisingly close to levelling in the 70th minute. Lisbie broke brilliantly away from Sonko before the Reading defender clipped his heels on the very edge of the Royals box. Huckerby lifted a clever free-kick onto the head of Ashton, whose looping header beat Hahnemann only for Sonko to hook the ball off the goal-line.

Two minutes later and it was Huckerby again in the thick of the action as a Canary corner finally found its way to Huckerby on the edge of the box, only for his drilled, 20-yard shot to fire straight into Hahnemann’s waiting arms.

On 74 minutes City boss Worthington made his second change of the afternoon as young Ian Henderson replaced Brennan in the hope that his youthful enthusiasm could somehow break Reading’s persistence.

With 12 minutes of normal time remaining Reading boss Coppell made his first change of the afternoon when Eric Obinna replaced the largely-ineffective Lita. It did little to alter the game as Norwich continued to press forward only for the chances to continue to go begging.

In the 81st minute Ashton opened the door for Huckerby, then having darted away free inside the Reading box, his second touch deserted him and the ball ran harmlessly away for a goal-kick.

Moments later and it was Colin who found himself free on the edge of the Reading box only to sweep his first-time shot horribly high of the target.

Referee Kettle awards City a penalty in the 90th minute after consulting his assistant on the touchline. But there was no happy ending as Dean Ashton missed the resulting spot-kick.

With five minutes remaining, and with the Canaries now in the last chance saloon, Worthington threw his last card into the ring when Fleming replaced Colin. That immediately found Doherty being thrown up front as an extra attacker, though the move failed to win many fans among City’s restless supporters.

The game ended in a storm of controversy as Davenport was brought down a yard inside the Reading box by Convey. Initially referee Kettle waved a card in the City defender’s direction believing he had dived.

Urged to consult his assistant on the touchline the official changed his mind and pointed to the penalty spot handing City a sudden and unexpected lifeline back into the afternoon’s contest.

Up stepped Ashton to take the spot-kick, but his hesitant run up signalled what was about to come as the normally sure and certain England-U21 frontman bobbled a lame shot a yard wide of Hahnemann’s right-hand upright.

In amongst the mayhem Makin did make his way to the referee’s book for dissent.

With the fourth official declaring there would be three minutes of added on time City did at least force one last corner, but once Lisbie’s header had looped high over so that was it and Norwich were staring another defeat firmly in the face.

Result: Norwich City 0, Reading 1