Norwich failed to fully capitalise on an electrifying start - but still did
just enough to take all three points from an entertaining mid-table encounter.
The Canaries were 2-0 up inside 11 minutes, with Welsh international striker
Craig Bellamy marking his first start of an injury-hit season with a glorious
goal.
But the Blades, guilty of some desperate defending in the earlier stages, made
a real game of it in the second half and Paul Devlin's 75th-minute penalty was
the least they deserved for their efforts.
Norwich started the game as though their season depended upon it and took just
three minutes to move in front - although the goal was certainly aided and
abetted by some poor marking from the visitors' defence.
Defender Craig Fleming was allowed the freedom of Carrow Road as he rose
unchallenged to head home Phil Mulryne's cross from a short corner - and within
eight minutes the home side had moved further in front.
Again, there was an element of poor defending in the goal as keeper Simon
Tracey unwisely decided to rush out of goal to intercept a long clearance. Not
surprisingly, the speedy Bellamy got there first and, from 25 yards out from
goal and near the left touchline, he kept his cool superbly to roll the ball
into an unguarded net.
With the Blades all over the place and the Canaries on fire, a cricket score
looked on the cards, but the visitors managed to weather the storm and, perhaps
stung by a half-time roasting from manager Neil Warnock, they proceeded to
dominated a one-sided second half.
They went close to pulling a goal back four minutes after the break when Bruno
Ribeiro's header came back off the crossbar and then the impressive Stuart
Wilson lobbed just over as Marshall followed Tracey's lead by charging out of
his area.
The visitors finally got the goal they deserved a quarter of hour from time
when Dutch defender Fernando Derveld was adjudged to have tripped Wilson in the
area and Devlin blasted home from the spot.
But the battling Blades were never to seriously trouble the home defence again
and Norwich went close to making it 3-1 in injury time when Bellamy's cross was
diverted just wide by Iwan Roberts, who was still left searching for his 20th
goal of the season.
Teams:
Norwich: A. Marshall, Sutch, Fleming, Jackson,
Derveld (Kenton 77), Mulryne, L. Marshall,
Hamilton (Russell 56), De Waard (Llewellyn 51), Bellamy,
Roberts.
Subs Not Used: Giallanza, Green.
Booked: Derveld.
Goals: Fleming 4, Bellamy 11.
Sheff Utd: Tracey, Kozluk, Sandford, Gysbrechts (D'Jaffo 90),
Quinn, Ford, Woodhouse, Ribeiro (Brown 68),
Wilson (Hamilton 77), Bent, Devlin.
Subs Not Used: Woodward, Jagielka.
Goals: Devlin 78 pen.
Att: 16,921
Ref: K Leach (Codsall, Staffs).
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