Defender Darren Kenton scored twice in two minutes to revive Norwich City's
faltering play-off challenge in Nationwide Division One.
The Canaries went into the game without a win in six matches and that run
looked set to continue when a distinctly low-key encounter reached the 71st
minute without any goals.
But then Kenton spectacularly brought the game to life with a neat finish and
a header from a corner to put Norwich in the driving seat.
Although the Blades pulled one back almost immediately through a magnificent
strike from Michael Brown the hosts held on for their first victory of 2002.
The highlight of a dull first half came on 28 minutes when keeper Robert
Green, recalled to the side after being dropped for two matches, produced a fine
fingertip stop to keep out a perfectly timed left-foot half volley from Bobby
Ford.
The visitors barely threatened apart from that, while at the other end Norwich
were equally shot-shy and it was not until the 41st minute that a decent shot
was struck.
The ball span kindly in the box into the path of David Nielsen and he turned
his marker cleverly before lifting the ball over Simon Tracey, only for it to go
agonisingly wide of the upright.
The second half followed a similar disjointed pattern before bursting into
life in incredible fashion with three quick goals between the 71st and 76th
minutes.
The deadlock was broken when the ball fell into the path of Kenton following a
Robert Page challenge on Nielsen.
The young defender kept his cool to slide the ball under the advancing
Tracey.
In Norwich's next attack they won a corner and Kenton was on hand to power
home Steen Nedergaard's cross, with Brown unable to block it on the line.
The Blades got themselves back into it on 76 minutes when Brown picked the
ball up in midfield, cut inside and then found the top corner of the net with a
perfectly judged 25-yard drive.
That set up a tense conclusion, with United forcing three corners in injury
time, but Nigel Worthington's side held firm to take the points.
Teams:
Norwich: Green, Kenton, Mackay, Fleming, Nedergaard,
Rivers (Mulryne 68), Holt, Andy Roberts, McVeigh,
Libbra (Notman 69), Nielsen.
Subs Not Used: Crichton, Sutch, Llewellyn.
Booked: Kenton, Libbra, Fleming, Nielsen.
Goals: Kenton 72, 74.
Sheff Utd: Tracey, Uhlenbeek, Curle, Page, Ullathorne, Brown,
Ford, Devlin, Tonge (Montgomery 78), Asaba (D'Jaffo 86),
Ndlovu (Peschisolido 78).
Subs Not Used: de Vogt, Sandford.
Booked: Asaba, Ford, Page.
Goals: Brown 77.
Att: 17,348
Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
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