United sunk by City's super subs!

29 March 2010 09:37
Mark Burchett and John Maiden report on a dramatic win for the Canaries. Norwich City 1 Leeds 0 Victory took Norwich a big step closer to promotion as League One champions,opening up an 11-point gap between themselves and theirnearest rivals: Leeds and Millwall, who are now level on 71 points.The pulsating game had looked like it was heading for a draw, whichwould have been a fair result between the top two sides, untilsubstitute Chris Martin’s brave diving header broke Leeds’ hearts inthe 89th minute. Paul Lambert can take a lot of credit for the victory, as the perfectcross for Martin to score from came from fellow sub Stephen Hughes, whohad been introduced just four minutes earlier by the City boss. He had made two changes from the side that conceded a late, lateequaliser at Swindon last week. Adam Drury, having recovered from the thighinjury, which saw him substituted early in the game at Walsall on 26th January,started at left back instead of Michael Rose, who dropped tothe bench, as did striker Chris Martin. This meant on-loan strikerStephen Elliott was handed his first start, having scored two goals inthree sub appearances. Zak Whitbread made the bench after recovering from the foot injurypicked in the Reserves’ midweek defeat at Watford.By contrast, Simon Grayson made wholesale changes to the side thatembarrassed him by losing at home to Millwall on Monday night. Keeper, Casper Ankergren, Bradley Johnson, Leigh Bromby and PaulDickov, were all relegated to the bench, while Patrick Kisnorbo didn’ttravel with the squad, now out for the rest of the season following theinjury he sustained in that defeat. Grayson also changed his line up tomatch the home side’s diamond formation. City kicked off towards the Barclay End and immediately forced Leedsinto conceding a corner, amid a tumultuous atmosphere. City kept up the pressure, as Darel Russell’s free kick (for MichaelDoyles’s body check on Simon Lappin) went out for another corner. Thevisitors’ keeper, Shane Higgs fumbled the ball and his defensivecolleagues really struggled to clear. Leeds won their first corner in the ninth minute after Beckford’s shotwas deflected, but it was comfortably cleared by Drury at the nearpost. A slick passing move, initiated by Drury, saw a quick 1-2 playedbetween Elliot and Lappin, opening up the United defence for theScottish midfielder to get in a shot, but, on his weaker right foot, itflew wide of Higg’s right-hand post. There was then a lengthy break in play when Luciano Becchio was on thereceiving end of Michael Nelson’s boot when they went for a 50-50 balljust inside the Norwich half. The Leeds’ midfielder played no furtherpart, in what was already a fiercely contested game, and was replacedby Mike Grella. City opened up the Leeds defence again in the 18th minute as a swiftinterchange of passes between Holt and Elliott, saw the latter feedLappin, but as he crossed Hoolahan had drifted offside. In the 25th minute, midfielder Neil Kilkenny showed his frustration ashis shot from distance sailed harmlessly over Fraser Forster’s goal. City immediately went back on the offensive with Holt running ontoDrury’s through ball to win a corner off Richard Naylor, but Leedseasily cleared the flag-kick. Great tenacity from Hoolahan, Lappin and Drury ensured a ball, whichlooked to be going out for a goal kick, stayed in play. From theresulting throw in, Lappin’s cross was deflected out, but referee LeeProbert awarded a goal kick and not a corner, much to Lappin’s anger! As City attempted to break Leeds down again, ex-Ipswich player, Naylorwas harshly shown the yellow card, as he brought down Holt just outsidehis area. Russell Martin’s free kick was only cleared as far as theCity right back who found Hoolahan. Even though Hughes was on the floorand handled, the ref penalised Hoolahan. Snodgrass was cautioned in the 40th minute as he caught Drury in theface when both jumped for the ball. Mr Probert played a wonderful advantage when Drury was fouled incentral midfield, only calling play back when City lost possession.From the free kick the ball was played out wide to Martin, who cut into find Korey Smith. His shot was blocked and when the ball fell toHolt unmarked on the edge of the area, he looked odds on to score. ButCity’s leading marksman sliced his shot and Higgs watched it fly safelyhigh over the bar. Not surprisingly, after Becchio’s injury, there was 5 minutes of addedtime, in which both sides battled for supremacy. HALF TIME: City 0 Leeds 0 There were no changes as the visitors kicked off defending the RiverEnd. Smith picked up a loose ball in midfield and tried to find Holt inthe area. It was cleared back to him, and as he attempted to getanother cross in, he fouled Doyle, a challenge Mr Probert deemed worthyof a yellow card. Forster was alert to Hughes’ deep right wing cross, coolly claimingthe ball above his head. Leeds continued to have the lion’s share ofthe play, but Russell strongly fought off challenges to set Martin awayon the right. The City right back’s attempted cross was blocked for a corner, fromwhich Gary Doherty had a free header, which went wide. Then Elliott had an even better chance to opening the scoring. Awonderful chip over the Leeds defence set Elliott away free in theinside right hand channel, but under pressure from Shane Lowry hesliced his shot wide of Higg’s left hand upright. It was then Grella’s turn to spurn a golden opportunity, for havingavoided the challenges of Doherty and Drury, his resulting shotdribbled to the waiting Forster. Doherty then timed his headed challenge with Beckford to perfection,to find Forster and deprive the Yorkshire side’s leading scorer of arare chance to shoot. Lambert then made his first change of the afternoon, withdrawing thetiring Elliott for Chris Martin in the 62nd minute, who received awonderful reception from the home crowd singing: ‘Super Chris!’ Drury’s cross was deflected for a corner and although the resultingflag-kick didn’t clear the first defender, Russell’s tenacity saw him,not only regain possession, but create a shooting chance for himself.Unfortunately for him, his shot lacked any power to trouble Higgs. Holt then found himself in the referee’s notebook, for a clumsy foulon Snodgrass, to which the Leeds’ players reacted angrily. Mr Probertwas very quick to diffuse any frustrations from boiling over. This was immediately followed by City’s second substitution, withAnthony McNamee replacing Hoolahan, who hadn’t been at his mercurialbest, against a very physical United side. He was in the wars straight away, with Lowry catching him late, whichearned the Leeds’ defender a booking. Then City threw their last roll of the dice bringing on Stephen Hughesfor Smith who had worked tirelessly throughout the game. This wasswiftly followed by Bradley Johnson coming on for Kilkenny, who wasfurious about being substituted! With almost his first touch, the City sub latched on to a headed passfrom his skipper, Grant Holt and raced down the right wing to delivera perfect cross to the near post, which Chris Martin met with a glancingheader, beating Higgs' despaiing dive, low to his right.Needless to say, the home fans erupted in sheer delight.as the ball nestled in the bottom far corner of the net. Leeds made their last change with Tresor Kandol coming on forSnodgrass, but amazingly he was only on the pitch for seconds.Following a Leeds free kick in the first of four extra minutes, whichthe City defence cleared, the referee quite clearly saw something,which saw him brandish the red card to the Leeds’ substitute. FULL-TIME: City 1 Leeds 0 TEAMS:City:Forster (GK), Drury, Nelson, Doherty, R. Martin, Hoolahan (McNamee72), Lappin, Smith (Hughes 85) Holt, Elliott (C. Martin 62) Unused Subs: Rudd (GK), Rose, Whitbread, Johnson Leeds: Higgs (gk), Doyle, Naylor ©, Kilkenny (Johnson 86), Beckford,Becchio (Grella 15), Howson, Lowry, Hughes, Snodgrass (Kandol 90),Collins Unused Subs: Ankergren (gk), Dickov, Bromby, Gradel Goals:City: Martin (89)Leeds: None Bookings:City: Smith 48, Holt 71,Leeds: Naylor 37, Snodgrass 40, Lowry 75, Kandol (90) RED. Referee: Mr Lee Probert Attendance: 25,445

Source: FOOTYMAD