Hoolahan in no mood to celebrate wonder goal

Norwich City midfielder Wes Hoolahan admitted Tuesday's draw with Southampton felt more like a defeat, despite his spectacular first-half goal. The Canaries were coasting 2-0 at half-time, but were knocked out of their stride as the Saints hit back to secure a point for new manager Mark Wotte in his first game in charge.

Norwich City midfielder Wes Hoolahan admitted Tuesday's draw with Southampton felt more like a defeat, despite his spectacular first-half goal.

The Canaries were coasting 2-0 at half-time, but were knocked out of their stride as the Saints hit back to secure a point for new manager Mark Wotte in his first game in charge.

“It feels like a defeat, we were on the way to winning and then we let two sloppy goals in,” said the Irish international. “In the first half I thought we were great. In the second half I don't know what happened - but maybe we felt comfortable at 2-0 up. A deflected goal and then a sloppy second changed the game around.”

Hoolahan scored City's second just before half-time with a looping wonder strike from 30 yards that would have been a fitting winner for any match - but the 26-year-old was not in the mood to relive his stunning effort.

“It was all right, but there's no point thinking about it now because we drew so it doesn't really count for much. But it was a nice feeling hitting the back of the net,” he told the club's official website. “I don't think we became nervous. In the second half, we didn't pass the ball well and our movement wasn't great, so that was disappointing.”