MATCH STATS NORWICH CITY: Green, Drury, Huckerby, Jarrett, Ashton, Brennan, Charlton, McVeigh, Colin, Davenport, Doherty. Subs: Henderson (for Jarrett, 85), Ward, Louis-Jean, Fleming, Rossi Jarvis. MILLWALL: Marshall, Vincent, Robinson, Dunne, Livermore, Asaba, Morris, Hayles, Williams, Ifil, Wright. Subs: May (for Asaba, 62), Craig (for Morris, 80), Hutchison (for Dunne, 90), Jones, Elliott. SCORERS: Norwich: Ashton (53) Millwall: Williams (23) TOP CANARY: Pink 'Un & EN: Gary Doherty EDP: Calum Davenport PinkUn Poll: Gary Doherty (39%) ATTENDANCE: 25,095 REFEREE: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire). YELLOW CARDS: Norwich: Charlton, Jarrett. Millwall: Hayles, Livermore, Dunne, Morris, Marshall, Ifill. RED CARDS: Millwall: Hayles (77) ADDED TIME: First half: 2 mins Second half: 5 mins SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 2, Millwall 4 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 6, Millwall 6 CORNERS: Norwich 3, Millwall 3 FOULS:  Norwich 16, Millwall 18 OFFSIDES:  Norwich 4, Millwall 3 CONDITIONS: Pitch: Excellent Weather: Sunny

Saturday October 15, 2005
RICK WAGHORN

The very best and the very worst of ex-City keeper Andy Marshall came back to haunt the Canaries at Carrow Road as City were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Millwall.

Clearly at fault for Dean Ashton’s second-half leveller as he came and fumbled Jurgen Colin’s deep cross following Adrian Williams’ first-half opener, Marshall then enjoyed the last laugh when he saved Darren Huckerby's penalty in the 77th minute.

By then Millwall had been reduced to 10 men after striker Barry Hayles had seen yellow for the second time amid the furious protests that erupted over Huckerby’s disputed penalty.

Thereafter Norwich would bombard the Millwall box in search of that elusive winner, only for Gary Doherty to see his injury-time ‘winner’ ruled out for an earlier foul and Adam Drury to watch in disbelief as substitute Marvin Elliott somehow hooked his header off the line.

In the end, City had to settle for a mere point when their second missed penalty of the season would have – in all probability – have given them their third straight success. But such has been the story of Norwich’s season.

Team-wise today’s home clash with Millwall was good news and bad for City boss Worthington. The best news concerned the fitness of star striker Dean Ashton who passed the late fitness test on his fractured sinus cavity and was therefore able to make a welcome return to Worthington’s starting plans.

It was, however, in midfield where the manager’s best-laid plans unravelled in no uncertain fashion with Youssef Safri (groin), Dean Marney (knee) and skipper Andy Hughes (thigh) all absent from the side that won so comfortably at Brighton a fortnight ago. No surprise, therefore, to find a whole new look to the Canary engine room with Jason Jarrett being finally handed a further chance to show his first team work, while Simon Charlton and Jim Brennan returned in a midfield four that featured Paul McVeigh in the little hole behind a front pairing of the fit-again Ashton and skipper-for-the-day Darren Huckerby.

And no surprises as to who was granted the ‘warmest’ Carrow Road reception among the visiting Millwall players — former Canary number one Andy Marshall, whose decision to leave Norfolk and all on a free transfer to Suffolk was never likely to win him a City popularity pole.

Andy Marshall found his way into the referee's book for protesting over the penalty decision.

With Norwich kicking off attacking the Norwich and Peterborough End, it was the home side who enjoyed the better of the possession, although it was Millwall who had the first shot of any real note as former Fulham striker Barry Hayles worked himself into a good position five-yards outside the Canary box before sending a rising drive straight into Robert Green’s waiting arms.

Millwall continued to press forward and again came close in the 12th minute when Hayles robbed a dawdling Doherty and fed Asaba on the edge of the Canaries' box whose first time effort sped just wide of Robert Green’s right-hand post.

With City’s hastily-built midfield struggling to get a grip on the game, and in particular to pick up Millwall skipper Dave Livermore on the left, it came as little surprise when Millwall opened the scoring in the 23rd minute.

A half-cleared corner fell to former Ipswich Town midfielder Jermaine Wright and his deep cross to the far post found the on-loan Adrian Williams stealing in behind Davenport and guiding a five-yard header off Green’s right hand upright.

It was the last thing Norwich needed as their injury-hit side struggled to find some real form. Their best moment came in the 28th minute when a big, far post header from Gary Doherty sailed a yard over Marshall’s bar.

With tempers starting to fray among the travelling away support, so Millwall’s players began to lose a little of their cool when Hayles became the first player in the book in the 28th minute following a clash with Davenport.

The ball ends up in the back of the net courtesy of Dean Ashton for Norwich City's equaliser after a classic Andy Marshall flap.

By far City’s best moment arrived in the 37th minute when a combination of McVeigh and Huckerby finally unlocked the right-hand side of the Millwall back four before Huckerby produced a wonderful, teasing cross towards the far post where Ashton had peeled off unmarked. Whether he was still feeling the effects of that sinus fracture it was hard to tell. But with the target clearly in his sights, the £3m Canary striker could only send a weak header a yard wide of the target.

With the home side probably enjoying their best little spell of the afternoon, Dutch defender Jurgen Colin tried his luck from distance, only for the ball to fly a good three yards wide.

At least, in fairness, City were on the front foot and Millwall’s growing uneasiness may well have been reflected in the game’s second booking in the 42nd minute when Lions’ skipper Livermore scythed straight through the legs of McVeigh.

The long-time Millwall servant showed a better side to his game shortly before the interval when he lifted a neat, 25-yard kick towards the top corner where Green comfortably saved.

Half-time: Norwich 0 City, Millwall 1

As the second half opened, so it swiftly became clear that Millwall’s first half lead had forced Worthington into a tactical switch as the Canaries reverted to 4-4-2, with Ashton now partnering McVeigh up front and Huckerby and Brennan providing the width on the right and the left respectively.

Dean Ashton celebrates Norwich City's equaliser and his sixth goal of the season.

In fairness, City did appear to have a better shape to them as they started the second period the brighter but as ever greater possession would count for little if the Canaries failed to make that advantage count. That they duly did in the 53rd minute when Ashton put all his recent trials and tribulations behind him to force his sixth goal of the season over the line.

City were already camped outside the Millwall penalty area long before Colin dropped a deep, high ball onto the edge of the Millwall six-yard box where Marshall was forced to jump through a clutch of yellow and blue shirts in an effort to claim the cross. To the complete glee of the home supporters, Davenport reached the ball first as it gently fell out of the scrum to a lurking Ashton who from no more than five yards out managed to put the ball back into an empty net with Davenport on hand to smash it firmly home, albeit with the ball having long since crossed the line.

Marshall’s loud appeals for a foul fell on deaf ears as Ashton raced away to celebrate a goal that put City squarely back in the contest.

Darren Huckerby goes down under the challenge of Jamie Vincent and referee Paul Taylor points to the penalty spot.

As the game swept past the hour mark, so it was Millwall who opted to make the first change of the afternoon as young striker Ben May replaced the largely ineffective Asaba in the 62nd minute.

The referee’s notebook was back in action two minutes later as youngster Alan Dunne swept Brennan’s feet from beneath him and became the third Millwall player to be booked.

Two minutes later and Charlton opened Norwich’s account on that front when he clattered late into Hayles.

Although City were continuing to enjoy the greater share of the possession, Millwall were still creating decent chances — none better than the 65th minute effort that saw Dunne charge alone into the Canary box on the overlap, only to slice his subsequent shot horribly wide.

The game really sparked into life in the 75th minute when Morris smashed into the back of Simon Charlton’s legs that then found Jarrett pushing Morris to the ground and sparking a full push and shove session between at least a dozen blue and yellow shirts. The result was yellow cards for both Morris and Jarrett — though that was only the start of things to come.

Darren Huckerby and Jermaine Wright discuss the penalty decision.

In the 76th minute Ashton’s smart throughball found Huckerby arriving on cue through the inside-right channel and thereafter the City skipper showed all his cunning as he waited for struggling left back Jamie Vincent to arrive with an ill-timed tackle and give referee Paul Taylor little or no option but to point to the spot.

Huckerby immediately found himself accused of diving by the furious Millwall players as tempers frayed left, right and centre.

When order was finally restored, Hayles saw yellow for the second time and was sent off.

Before that, however, referee Taylor still found space in his book for Marshall’s name — presumably for dissent.

The former Canary number one would, however, enjoy the last laugh seconds later as he guessed right when it came to Huckerby’s penalty and duly saved the spot kick low towards his left hand upright.

With 10 minutes remaining Millwall boss Colin Lee made his second change when Marvin Elliott replaced the tempestuous Morris for whom the red mist had long descended.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, Worthington prepared to make his own substitution as Henderson replaced Jarrett.

Andy Marshall guesses right to turn away Darren Huckerby's penalty.

With the game continuing on its fast and frantic way, Ifil became the sixth Millwall player in the book for a professional foul on Huckerby as he looked to be clear.

By now Norwich were sensing a late, late winner as a combination of Ashton and Henderson forced an 89th minute corner. From City’s deep delivery, the unlikely figure of Drury arrived at the far post to send a looping header back beyond a beaten Marshall, only for substitute Elliott to produce a fantastic goal-line clearance if at the expense of his own injury.

With the game held up for a good two minutes, the fourth official signalled there would be at least five minutes of injury time — time enough for Doherty to stab the ball into the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul on Vincent.

With the game deep into injury time and Millwall firmly on the rack, so manager Lee wasted a few more precious seconds when he made his third and final change of the afternoon as Don Hutchison replaced Dunne.

Result: Norwich City 1, Millwall 1