CHRIS LAKEY Carl Robinson says tomorrow's home game against Colchester is “massive” for the Canaries as they try to shrug off the after-effects of the 5-0 drubbing at Stoke.

CHRIS LAKEY

Carl Robinson says tomorrow's home game against Colchester is “massive” for the Canaries as they try to shrug off the after-effects of the 5-0 drubbing at Stoke.

“It's not nice conceding goals - you concede goals as a team and you score goals as a team,” he said.

“We had been excellent for two games, kept two clean sheets - three if you include Port Vale - but it didn't work out for us. Hopefully it is a blip, but we can't have too many more performances like that and we're glad we have a game on Tuesday.

“Colchester at home is a massive game for us. It's how you react after a defeat and it's good that a game comes so quickly.

“There is no easy game in this league, everyone knows that, but what is important is that we bounce back after defeats.

“We have had a defeat here, maybe you can call it a kick up the behind and hopefully it will keep us on our toes, but it is important we follow that disappointment with victory on Tuesday. It's a massive game and a good game which everyone should want to play in.”

Robinson believes City were still in with a big shout at the Britannia Stadium at half-time, despite a disappointing opening period when they conceded two goals. The problem came when goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown was red-carded for a foul, and Stoke made it 3-0 from the penalty spot.

“I asked Ash if he caught him and he said he just ran into me,” said Robinson. “I don't think he felt it was a sending off. I have seen people give pens and leave the keeper on and I've seen it the other way as well.

“But that changed the game - at 2-0 we were always in the game, at 3-0 and 10 men it was always going to be difficult, and it was.”

Consecutive victories in manger Peter Grant's opening two Championship matches meant City went to the Potteries on a high - but the way they crashed back down to earth meant a dressing room inquest.

“It's a difficult one,” said Robinson. “We have sat and had a chat in the changing room. The first goal was a bad goal to concede, it was disappointing on our part. The second goal was just before half-time and that killed us really. Craig Fleming made a clearance and we thought maybe it was a foul, but having said that we didn't defend the second ball and they scored, so we got in at half-time and we thought the game was still wide open.

“Obviously we were 2-0 down and up against it, but the third goal was always going to be crucial and I think or 20 minutes of the second half when the young lad Robert Eagle came on and did very well, gave us width on the left, we had two or three decent chances. Had we scored then it would have been a different game, but the decision to send Ash off totally changed the game.”