Norwich line-up: Perrett, Taylor, Higgins, Howard, Harris, Boucher, Slater, Utting, Parling, Davies, Gallagher
At the time of press, we don't yet know the exact significance of next week's game against Glasgow Rangers. Either way it's a must win for Norwich with, at a minimum, their 2006 100% league record on the line. It should see the return of Wilson from a lengthy prostate injury and Semple (steroid ban), but the Yellows will be without Parling (time management course) and possibly Taylor (little fivesies kickabout with his meejah chums). In any case, Norwich have done everything possible so far this year to grab 2nd spot from Rangers, and this was another example of the G&D City have shown on a number of occasions when up against it.
At 3-1 down at half-time on a boggy pitch not conducive to Norwich's brand of passing football, journos from the broadsheets and red tops alike were licking their lips. Was Higgins' mind still on the job? Is his head right? With rumours linking him to the hotseat at one-time fortress Carrow Road, his loss of the kit in midweek, and heavy drinking after his disappointment at not producing a male heir, the editorial was writing itself. But luckily for him, his side does not lie down and after waiting patiently to get on terms, eventually ran away clear victors.
This was Sunday football at its most Sunday. Pissing rain and hail, knee deep mud, driving wind, miscommunication about kick-off times, ref turning up an hour late and no nets (at least for the warm-up). Then, when the usually decisive gaffer Higgins suggested 4-4-2, 3-2-1-2 and 3-4-3 before settling on the tried and tested, unbeaten in 10, bags-of-goals, sexy football, pass-and-move formation he has used for the last year, eyebrows were raised all round the away dressing room. Those rumours could be true.....
Things started to go wrong in the warm-up. Perrett pulled up with a sore knee, and had to swap jerseys with the reluctant stand-in stopper. Slater's actually a really really excellent keeper and could play at a much higher level apparently. Nonetheless he was delighted at the role reversal and immediately started leathering balls at his flatmate in sticks. It did not inspire confidence. And it wasn't long into the game when 'crisp-packet hands' first touch was to pick the ball out of the net. To be fair to him, there was nothing he could do to stop it. A corner was whipped in ferociously with the wind and met at the near post with a crisp downward header.
Norwich, playing into the wind, responded immediately. A flick-on from a hopeful ball cleared the Boro defence. Davies met it first time from just inside the box, smashing the ball past the keeper at his near post. The recovery was shortlived though as the yellows struggled against the wind after that point and were being pushed back into their own half. They matched Boro for long periods but were always vulnerable with the treacherous footing and wind in their teeth. 1-1 became 3-1 before the break. A mix-up between Higgins and Perrett let Boro in for their second, and the third came as Perrett, left arm aloft seemingly still hailing a taxi from his previous error, was beaten by a lob that came back off an upright for a tap in.
Everyone knew that with the elements on side it would be a different game after the break. At half-time Higgins had to use all his footballing guile and tactical wizardry to win back his dressing room. And he did just that. "Lump it long, lads!" was the message. Harris, today in an unaccustomed left wing berth, growled, nodded vigorously in approval, shouted "Welcome back boss" and trudged out to take his place on the other side of the pitch.
Shortly after the break, City halved the deficit. Slater dummied a throw-in from the right, which ran to Davies. The Norwich striker, tightly marked, swivelled and lashed the ball home into the far corner past the diving keeper from 15 yards. Then followed a spell of Norwich pressure for the equaliser. The longer ball game was having the desired result against a very square back four and chances came and went. Gallagher, fed by Boucher and Parling, repeatedly broke the line but unfortunately not the net. Norwich were patient, and the equaliser very nearly came from the unlikeliest of sources. Gareth Howard embarked on an ambitious run weaving his way past four or five (6?, 7?!) defenders, and had he not hit the wall and blacked out 10 yards earlier, would surely have notched his first career goal at the right end of the pitch. As it was, the keeper came out well to deny the hyperventilating 40-a-day man.
Norwich's equaliser came with 10 minutes remaining. Davies beat his man by the left corner flag and drove a cross right onto Slater's head. Slater missed it but it carried through to Utting who turned up (unlike last week) at the far post to steer the ball into the net. Boro were rattled, and the comeback was complete shortly afterwards. Gallagher was sent clear down the right channel by Howard. He beat his man for pace, drew the keeper and squared for Davies to slide in and complete his hat-trick. The scoring was then completed a minute from time, when Slater, mistaking Boro's red for Aberdeen's, rose well to Utting's diagonal cross and sent a looping header into the top corner.
So it was job done again for the Yellows. This is a side that has been up against it in quite a few games this season. In the first half of the season, heads dropped and points were dropped. In the second half, they have got all three on every occasion. If they can keep their squad fit and loyal, and their young manager's head straight, it would take a brave man to bet against this team knocking Hibs off the top spot next season. But in the mean time, there's still work to be done this season. Norwich have never beaten Glasgow Rangers in this league, but something tells me that that will change this weekend. OTBC.
Norwich scorers: Davies (3), Utting, Slater
MotM: Davies
