Chris Lakey Darren Huckerby says Norwich can create something out of adversity after being “robbed” at Bristol City on Saturday. Huckerby's first goal for almost four months - a cracking curler 20 minutes from time level it at 1-1 - did little to ease his post-match mood as he reflected on a fine City performance which was marred only by a refereeing decision which helped the hosts grab an unlikely stoppage-time winner.

Chris Lakey

Darren Huckerby says Norwich can create something out of adversity after being “robbed” at Bristol City on Saturday.

Huckerby's first goal for almost four months - a cracking curler 20 minutes from time level it at 1-1 - did little to ease his post-match mood as he reflected on a fine City performance which was marred only by a refereeing decision which helped the hosts grab an unlikely stoppage-time winner.

And it was the performance which the City man believes could spur City on over the remaining five games.

“It can do,” he said. “It would have been disappointing, but we could have come here and got a point and everything would have been great and we would have moved on, but to end it like this where we feel we have been robbed is not easy to take.

“I thought first half we cut them open a lot of times, there was a lot of good movement, good runs, good link-up play. In the second half they didn't really get out of their half very often. We are very disappointed, but you have got to take heart from the fact that we played very well.”

Defeat left City just four points clear of the drop-zone and with little room to manoeuvre between now and May 4 - so Saturday's dropped point or points snatched away valuable breathing space.

“We need all the points we can get,” said Huckerby. “It is a massive, massive point we have lost, if not three points, because we were going to put the ball in their box and anything could have happened.”

What did happen was that, instead of City getting the free-kick they believe they deserved, it was their opponents who were gifted the last attack of the game - and from it Steve Brooker headed home.

“With 30 seconds to go from a chance for us to put the ball in their box for us to get a winner - and it looked like we were the only team that was going to win near the end - it has gone full circle,” Huckerby added. “We're very disappointed because we've worked really hard today, we've come somewhere that's been difficult for teams and we have dominated the game.

“We were the better team and they will feel very lucky they have got away with a win.

“They were second in the league and they have done very well this season but we were the much better team today. That is my opinion, but that is no consolation with 30 seconds to go thinking you have got a good result.

“That's how big it is - one point could cost us and it was clear cut. It's not like it was a tough decision to make, it was clear cut. We were getting the ball 20 yards outside their box to put pressure on them with 30 seconds to go. It goes the other way and it has cost us dearly.”