Norwich on loan keeper Tony Warner issued a 'come and get me plea' to Canaries' chief Peter Grant after his derby debut. Warner revealed he wants to prolong his Carrow Road stay next season after another assured display against City's cross border rivals.

By PADDY DAVITT

Norwich on loan keeper Tony Warner issued a 'come and get me plea' to Canaries' chief Peter Grant after his derby debut.

Warner revealed he wants to prolong his Carrow Road stay next season after another assured display against City's cross border rivals.

The Fulham keeper has one year left on his current Craven Cottage deal but looks unlikely to figure in caretaker boss Lawrie Sanchez's long term plans.

Sanchez is in pole position to succeed Chris Coleman on a permanent basis if he guides Fulham to Premiership safety. Warner admits he is tempted by the prospect of helping City's promotion push to try and join the Cottagers in the top flight.

"I've not spoken to the manager here yet but I'd like to stay if there was a possibility," said Warner. "This is a great club. You only have to look at the set up and the manager is working to get them into the Premiership. I've not had a chat with anyone at Fulham yet. I popped back just after Chris Coleman left but I guess it will be the summer before I get the time to do it."

The Liverpudlian had no chance with David Wright's point blank equaliser after Dickson Etuhu got the hosts off to a flier at Carrow Road.

Warner foiled Gavin Williams with two smart stops either side of Wright's leveller as the Tractor Boys launched an onslaught on the home goal.

"The dressing room was a bit down afterwards," said Warner. "After going ahead against your local rivals you want to push on. It feels like we let two points slip. We had plenty of opportunities in the first half and didn't take them. I think the way we started we deserved to score more than once. Their keeper has made a great save with his legs because it looked to have taken a deflection and he was going the wrong way.

"They get one and take it - that is what happens in football. Shacks' has gone to make a challenge and unfortunately the ball has just sat up well for the lad to finish. I had to push one around the post which I saw late but I don't honestly remember having too much else to do.

"We feel we should have won the game, they probably think the same so maybe a draw is fair."

The experienced Warner revelled in the derby day atmosphere and insisted Norwich's time will come in the annual tussle after Town shaded this season's Championship double header.

"I've played in Milwall and West Ham derbies that are a lot hotter - but it was a really good atmosphere," he said. "Ipswich brought a good few and the Norwich fans responded. I don't think people should get too hung up on the matches before or who is doing well. It's not about what happened last season or the year before but focusing on the next one and treating each match on its merits."

Warner is adamant Norwich's derby draw is not the signal to down tools on City's Championship campaign. Peter Grant's men conclude with home and away tests against play off chasing duo Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday.

"You're deluded if you think we will slacken off, or the manager will let you slacken off," he said. "Whether its promotion, relegation or professional pride players will work just as hard during the build up to those games and when the whistle goes its 90 minutes - whatever is at stake you want to go out and give your best.

"Both those clubs will be giving it everything and they will be hard games. This is a tough league with teams fighting for something every week. I just go back to the one we had at Hull recently and that was a very difficult match."