A single Kevin Phillips goal was enough to hand Sunderland a ninth successive
home victory in the league as Norwich became their latest victims.
But the Division One leaders were twice denied by the woodwork as they
dominated the game to equal their post-war record for consecutive wins.
Phillips struck after just seven minutes to set the ball rolling, but Nicky
Summerbee twice saw shots come back off the post.
Sunderland could have effectively wrapped up the points within 20 minutes as
they flew out of the starting blocks.
Niall Quinn had already gone close with a near-post header when a fine piece
of individual skill by Darren Williams, in for the injured Lee Clark, split the
Norwich defence on seven minutes.
Williams cleverly back-heeled Chris Makin's ball into the path of Phillips,
and his first-time effort curled past Andy Marshall's despairing dive and went
in off the post.
The City keeper had to be at his best to keep Bruce Rioch's side in the game
after 20 minutes when Peter Grant was penalised for handball just outside his
own penalty area.
Summerbee looked to have caught the keeper unawares as he shot towards goal,
but Marshall pushed the ball on to the upright and Keith O'Neill intervened
before Phillips could double his tally from close range.
Norwich came more into the game as the half wore on with strikers Iwan Roberts
and Craig Bellamy working well together, but they never really looked like
breaking down a solid Sunderland rearguard.
Phillips spurned a golden opportunity to make it two five minutes into the
second half after Michael Gray and Allan Johnston linked up down the left.
Johnston's pass put the striker clear of the Norwich defence, but with just
Marshall to beat and the goal at his mercy, he shot well wide.
The game became increasingly scrappy as driving rain made things difficult,
but the Wearsiders kept driving forward in a bid to end City's resistance.
Substitute Gavin McCann went close on 63 minutes with an angled drive after
running on to Makin's long ball, and Marshall got down well to save Quinn's
header from a Summerbee corner 12 minutes later.
Matt Jackson denied Quinn with a good block after Summerbee chased down
another long pass from Makin seconds later, and the winger was unfortunate to
see his 79th-minute drive come back off the woodwork.
Teams:
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Gray, Ball (McCann 63), Melville,
Butler, Summerbee, Williams, Quinn, Phillips, Johnston.
Subs Not Used: Dichio, Bridges.
Booked: Sorensen, Ball, Butler.
Goals: Phillips 7.
Norwich: A. Marshall, Sutch, Fuglestad, Grant (Russell 60),
Fleming, Jackson, L. Marshall, Bellamy (Llewellyn 73), Roberts,Wilson, O'Neill.
Subs Not Used: Mackay.
Booked: Grant.
Att: 39,004.
Ref: D Pugh (Wirral).
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