Michael Bailey Goalkeeping coach Tommy Wright has backed Norwich City's number one to bounce back even stronger from his howler on Saturday.

Michael Bailey

Goalkeeping coach Tommy Wright has backed Norwich City's number one to bounce back even stronger from his howler on Saturday.

David Marshall was in almost unstoppable form this season until the weekend, when he rushed out of his area to help Adam Drury deal with a Derby counter attack - only to inadvertently bump into his defender and leave Rams' striker Nathan Ellington with the ball and an empty goal to aim at.

That goal six minutes from time against a County side reduced to 10 men left the Canaries on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline and 21st in the Championship table heading in to the two-week international break, which Marshall will spend on international duty with George Burley's Scotland squad.

And Wright believes Marshall will come back ready to put his mistake behind him.

“Obviously he will be disappointed he made a wee mistake on Saturday, but this year we are asking him to sweep up a lot more and really help out the back four a lot more, so at times he is going to make mistakes,” said the City goalkeeping coach. “Hopefully he can get away with them but unfortunately that didn't happen on Saturday.

“But he's fine. He was disappointed after the game, as we all are for him. Nobody likes to see it and it is an unfortunate thing that as a goalkeeper, you make a mistake and it can often result in a goal.

“He is a strong character. He's away with Scotland this week, which in a way might help him. He is working with a different group of players and that might be the right thing for him around this little break. But I have no problems that he'll bounce back come the next game.”

It is easy to forget Marshall is only 23 years old, having made his debut as a teenager for Celtic - something of a tribute to the performances of the Glaswegian, who remains a relatively young member of the goalkeeper's union and Wright is well aware the City stopper is still learning his trade.

“He's only 23, he's very young for a goalkeeper. He's a baby and let's hope he has another 15-20 years of a career ahead of him, and you know all goalkeepers make mistakes, even Edwin van der Sar for Manchester United a few weeks ago,” said the former Ballymena boss.

“It is how you react to those. Nobody plays a perfect game and when you make a little mistake in the game, even if it doesn't cost a goal, it's how you react to that.

“Part of Marshy's development is obviously getting more experience and learning to deal with tough situations and I think he'll cope no problem.”

Closer to home, Wright admitted he is having a great time working with the Canaries' clutch of goalkeeping talent.

“I've really enjoyed it. All the keepers have worked well and I've been able to work well with them,” added Wright. “The young keepers are exceptional for their age and they've got big futures. Stuart Nelson has come in and done extremely well, put a lot of pressure on Marshy and I think that's had an effect on him, in that he's responded really well and had some great performances this season.”