Defender Jens Berthel Askou is hoping his goal at Exeter will be just the first of many for Norwich City - but still rues the two points that got away.

Defender Jens Berthel Askou is hoping his goal at Exeter will be just the first of many for Norwich City - but still rues the two points that got away.

The Danish centre-back opened his Canary account at St James' Park on Saturday with a header from Wes Hoolahan's cross, but the lead lasted just seven minutes as Richard Logan salvaged a point for the Devon club.

Askou would love to add to his tally against Brentford at Griffin Park tonight, but will be happier still if the managerless Canaries can chalk up their first League One victory of the season.

He said: “It is always special when you score in football - it was a proud moment and I was happy I scored but sad that the lead didn't last, because we could have used the points in the league and it was a shame we didn't get the three points.

“It was a really tough game, they were fighting for every ball round the pitch and made it very hard for us to play the football we play best. It was a battle through 90 minutes and maybe we should have scored one or two of our big chances in the first half and the match would have turned out differently.

“I hope we can take some positive things with us in to the game tonight. So we are looking forward to the game and, I hope, getting our first win in the league.”

Askou, who also scored during City's tour of Scotland, told the club's official website: “As a central defender you need to be good with your head. I've scored the other day and in the training game as well. I'm supposed to go forward for the corners and free-kicks and set-pieces and it's my ambition to score goals - if I don't try and do that I might as well stay at the back.”

Askou admits teams in League One are something of an unknown quantity, including tonight's newly-promoted opponents.

He said: “It's going to be tough in the beginning of the season. There's a lot of battling until every team gets their shape and into their style of playing and I don't know the teams very well over here, but I've heard that they play very direct football with long balls and just squeezing up, so I hope we can stand up against that and start playing a bit.”

Askou, who replaced Michael Nelson as Gary Doherty's central defensive partner after the shock 7-1 home defeat by Colchester, is pleased City have conceded just one goal in two matches with the new combination, beginning with the 4-0 Carling Cup first round win at Yeovil.

He said: “Gary Doherty is a very experienced player who has played at the highest level. I think we are new and still trying to get to know each other and I'm trying to get into the game as good as I can and getting to know the other players.

“It was a good feeling with the clean sheet and sadly we didn't manage to get it against Exeter, but I think it's a partnership that went OK, but we're still very early on in the season but hopefully will develop into something solid and more clean sheets for us.”