Norwich bounced back from two humiliating defeats to dent to the promotion
challenge of First Division leaders Nottingham Forest at Carrow Road.
A solitary strike from Iwan Roberts just after the break settled a pulsating
encounter and the only surprise was that such an exciting match could produce
just one goal.
Norwich, reeling from heavy defeats at Grimsby and Wolves, were under the cosh
for long periods and were grateful for some wasteful finishing by the visitors
and some excellent saves by veteran goalkeeper Bryan Gunn.
But they created plenty of chances themselves and will feel they deserved the
victory that rekindles hopes of a push into the promotion play-off zone.
Forest threatened to run away with it early on and had Ian Woan stuck away a
straightforward chance as early as the 11th minute it could have been a very
different story.
The winger had the goal at his mercy after Scot Gemmill set him up but shot
straight into Gunn's arms - and from then on one had the feeling it was going to
be one of those days for the visitors.
Other chances came and went with ex-Canary Andy Johnson heading wastefully
over and Gunn producing an excellent reflex stop to keep out Kevin Campbell's
ferocious shot-on-the-turn as the first half ended goalless.
But little over a minute after the restart the home side were ahead as Adrian
Forbes swung over a low cross from the right and striker Roberts was in the
right place to deflect the ball past Dave Beasant for only a second league goal
since joining Norwich from Wolves during the close-season.
From then on the two sides traded chance for chance as the game developed into
an end-to-end thriller.
Beasant produced a miraculous stop to keep out a point-blank effort from
Adrian Coote two minutes after Norwich's goal while Darren Eadie, back after a
three-month absence with a neck injury, also brought the best out of Beasant
with a sweetly-struck shot that followed a typically mazey run.
There was also time for youngster Coote to hit the post while at the other end
Kevin Cooper blasted horribly high and wide after a nod down by Pierre van
Hooijdonk had left him a clear sight of goal.
The big Dutchman also saw Gunn produce a magnificent tip over from another of
his repertoire of free-kicks.
The Norwich players received a standing ovation at the final whistle as the
Canaries proved that last Saturday's humiliation at Molineux had been put well
and truly behind them.
The only consolation for Forest was that rivals Middlesbrough had dropped two
points in a home draw with Norwich's East Anglian rivals Ipswich.
Teams
Norwich: Gunn, Sutch, Fuglestad, Grant, Fleming, Jackson, Forbes,
Coote, Roberts, Eadie, O'Neill.
Subs Not Used: Mills, Hilton, Kenton.
Booked: Sutch, Eadie.
Goals: Roberts 46.
Nottm Forest: Beasant, Lyttle, Rogers, Cooper, Chettle, Johnson,
Bonalair (Moore 86), Gemmill, Van Hooijdonk, Campbell,
Woan (Thomas 84).
Subs Not Used: Armstrong.
Booked: Lyttle, Rogers, Cooper.
Att: 17,059
Ref: M E Pierce (Portsmouth).
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