Sheffield United bounced back from their mid-week FA Cup exit at Arsenal with
a hard-earned draw at Carrow Road.
Paul Devlin's 55th minute deflected shot gave the Blades a share of the spoils
after Chris Llewellyn had opened the scoring for Norwich midway through the
first half.
Bruce Rioch's side thought they had grabbed all three points in the 87th
minute when David Holdsworth headed a Adrian Forbes corner into his own net,
under pressure from Craig Fleming, but the effort was ruled out for pushing.
A goal then would have been rough justice on the visitors who battled back
well after a first-half mauling which should have seen the Canaries put the
result beyond doubt at the break.
Norwich had already wasted one glorious chance, Craig Bellamy blasting over
with the goal at his mercy in the eighth minute, before taking a deserved lead
12 minutes later.
Peter Grant's cross from the right was allowed to drift across the face of the
goal by the Blades defence, and an unmarked Llewellyn had no difficulty blasting
past the exposed Alan Kelly from close range.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper twice came to the visitors' rescue before
the break, bravely denying Bellamy in one-on-one situations, and also producing
a smart stop to deny Forbes when a square ball from the winger would have left
Bellamy with an open goal.
The visitors looked a different side after the break and got back on level
terms when Devlin picked up a throw-in on the right and forced his way past two
Norwich defenders before unleashing a fierce shot which deflected off the boot
of Norwich skipper Matt Jackson to leave goalkeeper Andy Marshall with no
chance.
Both sides wasted glorious opportunities to win it, Llewellyn shooting weakly
wide after Roberts' nod-down and Brazilian Marcelo somehow heading wide from a
pinpoint Curtis Woodhouse cross.
Then came the grandstand finish with Lee Marshall seeing a late header
deflected onto the woodwork and Holdsworth's own goal being ruled out by referee
Mike Fletcher.
In the end a draw was probably a fair result although both sides will have
believed they could have won it.
Teams
Norwich: A. Marshall, Sutch, Fuglestad, Grant, Fleming, Jackson,
L. Marshall, Bellamy, Roberts, Llewellyn (O'Neill 77), Forbes.
Subs Not Used: Wilson, Mackay.
Booked: Fuglestad.
Goals: Llewellyn 20.
Sheff Utd: Kelly, Derry, Quinn (Henry 80), Woodhouse, Sandford,
Holdsworth, Morris, Jacobsen, Marcelo, Devlin, Ford.
Subs Not Used: Cullen, Twiss.
Booked: Derry, Woodhouse, Marcelo, Holdsworth.
Goals: Devlin 55.
Att: 14,224
Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).
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