Norwich City vs Coventry

[Huckerbys right foot]

Goals either side of the interval from Gary Holt and Jim Brennan ended Norwich's 22-year Highfield Road hoodoo with a 2-0 victory away at Coventry City this afternoon.

After surviving an uncomfortable opening 10 minutes, the Canaries defensive strengths and Huckerby's attacking threat combined to keep Norwich five points clear at the top of the first division table.

Holt's first goal in over two years arrived in the 37th minute following a typically direct run to the by-line from Huckerby with Brennan's first league goal in Canary colours sealing yet another crucial away success five minutes before the end.

In between, the home side had worked hard to deny the table-toppers their first success since the 1980/81 season, for on the rare occasions they found a way beyond the dominant Norwich back pairing of Craig Fleming and Malky Mackay, so the safe hands of Robert Green lay in wait.

A third straight success, a third clean sheet, Norwich head for next Saturday's clash with in-form West Ham United flying.

As the Canaries prepared to defend their magnificent away record - with an unbeaten run on the road now stretching back to the middle of October - at Highfield Road this afternoon, so Canary boss Nigel Worthington kept faith with the Norwich side that won 1-0 at Wimbledon last Saturday.

All of which ensured the luckless Leon McKenzie was forced to continue his Canary career on the bench as veteran marksman, Iwan Roberts, continued alongside former Coventry favourite, Darren Huckerby.

Likewise fit again Swede Mathias Svensson was also named among the substitutes as the Norwich boss stuck firmly to his tried and tested formula.

For the home side, buoyed by last Saturday's 1-0 win at Midlands neighbours Nottingham Forest, newly installed manager Eric Black began to ring the changes - in particular with the first appearance of on-loan Birmingham defender Martin Grainger. Black also found space in his squad for a second loan arrival in the shape of young Everton centre-half Peter Clarke who arrived at Highfield Road on Friday.

One or two familiar names still survived in the Sky Blues' line-up none more so than veteran defender Steve Staunton who continued in a new-found role at centre-half.

The home side was swiftly into their stride, forcing two corners within the game's opening five minutes. Indeed from the first they came close to opening the scoring as striker Julian Joachim squeezed the ball back to Staunton at the far post and it needed a brave interception from Craig Fleming to deflect the ball wide.

Both Gary Holt and Paul McVeigh were forced into hurried clearances from deep within their own penalty area as the Canaries struggled to get a grip on the game.

In the seventh minute French midfielder Eric Deloumeaux tested Green's reflexes with a nasty, dipping 22-yard effort which reared up in front of the Canary number one and forced him into an untidy push beyond his near upright.

Norwich's best moment of the opening spell arrived in the 11th minute and owed everything to McVeigh's quick thinking and Huckerby's quick feet.

The Canary winger took a quick free-kick through the inside left channel that enabled Huckerby to race away and behind Coventry youngster Andrew Whing.Having reached the by-line, Huckerby smashed one of his trademark low and fierce crosses through the Sky Blues' six-yard box and it needed an excellent, sliding interception from Calum Davenport to whip the ball away from a lurking Roberts.

It was a much better moment for the Canaries following an uncomfortable opening 10 minutes in which the home side severely tested Norwich's top of the table credentials.

When the Canaries next threatened it was somehow inevitable that Huckerby would again be involved.

Once again he twisted away from Whing and once again found his way to the far by-line for a pull-back that fell on que to Roberts some 12-yards out.

The veteran Canary marksman had the right idea as he attempted to gently cushion the ball into the path of the fast-arriving Damien Francis, only for the execution to let the 35-year-old down as his short pass fell short of the Canary midfielder.

Just before the half hour mark, with Coventry struggling to find their way into the City box, so Huckerby found himself presented with a half chance eight-yards out, only for his first time effort to be sliced wide.With the game fast petering out as a spectacle, City suddenly took the lead through the most unexpected of courses - Gary Holt - once again Huckerby was the provider as McVeigh swept a poor Coventry corner upfield as Huckerby took full advantage of a three-yard head start on the Coventry full-back, to race away to the by-line before floating over a teasing far post cross to where Francis waited.

His first time volley appeared to be sliding wide of Scott Shearer's right hand post before Holt popped up in the crowd to bundle the ball home from little more than three-yards out.

Given that it was his first Canary strike for over two years, Holt's wild celebrations as he raced away to the 3000-strong City supporters was understandable as it could yet be another crucial turning point on the path to the Premiership.

Two minutes later and the visitors had a second golden opportunity to extend their advantage when Huckerby nicked the ball into the feet of an unmarked Roberts, only for Shearer to produce an excellent block to divert the ball wide.

A minute later and it was Huckerby's turn to shoot goalward as he found himself with a yard of space 16-yards out, only for his effort to bobble wide of the post.

As the interval approached so Norwich again found themselves pinned inside their own penalty area as the home side forced two corners - from the second Patrick Suffo almost found the time and space he needed to test Green, only for the ball to slip away from him at the last moment.

Half-time: Coventry City 0, Norwich City 1

Coventry boss Eric Black wasted no time in ringing the changes at half-time as Bosnian international skipper Konjic replaced Staunton at the heart of the Sky Blues' defence.

The home side soon found themselves back in their own penalty area as Canary skipper Adam Drury forced an early corner which eventually fell to Huckerby 16-yards out, only for his half-hit shot to scuttle a yard wide through a sea of shirts.

Coventry were swift to prove that the contest was far from over with Suffo in particular looking dangerous in and around the Canary box.

Five minutes after the restart and he drilled a fierce, low drive wide of Green's right hand post before seeing a second effort blocked on the 18-yard line by the chest of a covering Edworthy.

On 56 minutes he again went close as a combination of Edworthy, Fleming and Mackay all failed to successfully clear the ball, enabling the luring Suffo to fire a rising, 15-yard drive into the side netting.



A minute before the hour mark and Norwich again came close to extending their lead when McVeigh's deep corner kick floated over everyone's head bar Roberts at the far post, only for the veteran marksman's downward effort to fly into the side netting with the angle always tight against him.

In the 63rd minute Francis was forced into conceding a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the Norwich box, only for the subsequent effort to be comfortably cleared by the Norwich wall - much to the growing frustration of the home fans.





The 68th minute brought a flurry of substitutions with Roberts being replaced by Svensson as City chief Worthington made his first switch of the afternoon, while a minute later Coventry boss Black played his two final cards with Gary McSheffrey replacing Craig Pead and Graham Barrett replacing Bjarni Gudjonsson.

In the 74th minute the game produced its first booking as Edworthy was cautioned for a block on McSheffrey.

With Norwich continuing to hold firm in defence, while always looking for the pace of Huckerby on the counter, the Canaries were looking good for their third successive 1-0 win as the game entered its final 10 minutes. That said, regular visitors to Highfield Road will remember late and dramatic twists - most recently Lee Hughes' last gasp winner.

In the 77th minute Suffo once more found the ball falling at his feet 15-yards out; once again however, the Coventry striker lost his footing at the crucial moment and could only manage a tame miss-hit effort which bobbled harmlessly into Green's waiting arms.

On 80 minutes Doyle sent a stinging shot straight down Green's throat which the City number one comfortably collected.

Moments later and the action switched to the opposing penalty area as Huckerby sprinted clear through the inside left channel with just Grainger between him and Shearer in the Coventry goal.

Having done the hard work of out-sprinting the defender, Huckerby's cross-shot sped just wide of the left post and just beyond an arriving Francis.

Norwich made certain of the points in the 85th minute when Huckerby fed the ball inside to an unnoticed Brennan who from nowhere produced a stunning, 18-yard rising drive that flew high into the roof of Shearer's net for his second goal in Canary colours.

That immediately prompted the exit of thousands of home supporters as the Canaries prepared to celebrate their third win at Highfield Road in 22 long years.

To their credit Coventry responded brightly and almost pulled one back in the 88th minute when McSheffrey's low cross found Joachim sliding in at the near post, only for the former Villa front-man to guide the ball back the way it came with the width of the goal to aim at.

Seconds later and Suffo was sending a diving header wide of Green's left upright.

With two minutes of injury time remaining, Worthington made his second change of the afternoon with McKenzie replacing Huckerby.

Before the end Joachim again broke clear, only for the ever-alert Green to comfortably save his final shot.

Result: Coventry City 0, Norwich City 2

[Pennywise]

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