Paul Lambert’s side showed great patience to overcome the blustery
conditions and a resilient Tranmere side to notch up their fifth straight win.
Second half goals from Wes Hoolahan and Gary Doherty secured the
three points to keep Norwich in fifth place in League One.
With the exception of Declan Rudd and Michael Nelson, City started the
game with the same full-strength side that knocked Paulton Rovers
out of the FA Cup 7-0 last Saturday.
Fraser Forster retained his place in goal from the team that won in mid-week
on penalties at Swindon in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The fit-again
Jon Ostemobor continued at right-back, after showing no ill effects from his
return after injury at Swindon.
Tranmere were without the suspended Shaleum Logan & Charlie
Bennett and the injured Bas Savage (Achilles). On a positive note for
caretaker boss Les Parry, he did have influential Paul McLaren
back in midfield.
The visitors that kicked off towards the River End goal, on a very
wet and grey afternoon, but it was City immediately on gthe offensive,
forcing their opponents back into their own half.
In the fifth minute a ball over the Rovers' defence had Grant Holt
through with just Luke Daniels in goal to beat. But the greasy surface
saw the ball glide away from the City striker, named as League One
Player of the Month for October.
Then Korey Smith, having won the ball off Craig Curran, tried his luck
with a well struck rising drive from 20 yards, which just cleared the bar.
In Tranmere’s first attack of the afternoon, Chris Shuker twisted and
turned around both Jens Berthel Askou and Gary Doherty, before unleashing
a right foot shot that Forster could only push round the post.
John Welsh was booked by referee Darren Deadman in the 18th
minute, for a clumsy challenge on Darel Russell.
The Canaries won their first corner of the game in the 26th minute,
but unfortunately for the home fans, it was an easy take for Rovers'
keeper.
In the 30th minute Tranmere wasted their second corner of the game.
But City put their visitors under much more pressure as they won
successive corners in the 34th minute, with the second one being headed
downwards by Holt, only for Taylor to make a vital clearance.
Shuker, on the counter attack threatened City as the rain began
falling very heavily, but Berthel Askou cut out the threat. There followed
a resumption of City pushing forward and this time it was Martin who
struck with a long-range shot, which Daniels saved.
In the next minute Martin found Lappin in the inside left channel,
from where his attempted curling chip to the far post, had Daniels
nervously scrambling back.
Tranmere then looked odds on to open the scoring as McLaren charged
towards the exposed Forster, before playing in Shuker on the
right. The Rovers striker then cut the ball back to McLaren, but his effort
deflected off Doherty's outstretched toe and Forster made a world class
diving save to palm the ball away for a corner.
As the half drew to a close, City forced three successive corners, but
Lappin’s last delivery was way too deep, giving Tranmere a throw!
However, they failed to clear the danger and Lappin crossed to the far
post where Holt rose well to meet it, but put it over, with the Barclay
fans expecting to see the net bulge in front of them.
HALF-TIME: City 0 Rovers 0
The second half continued in the same vein as before the break, with
City having the lion’s share of possession. Tranmere did win a
corner in the 51st minute, but the Canaries immediately countered from
it. A long ball found Hoolahan on the half way line and with only a
defender to beat he tried to lob the keeper. The swirling wind
made sure his effort drifted harmlessly wide.
In the 57th minute, the lively Shuker got in behind Ostemobor on the
City right, but his close-range shot hit the outside of the near post as
Forster narrowed the angle.
With the visitors coming more into the game, City took the lead
in the 60th minute. Hoolahan played the ball out wide to Drury.
His initial cross was blocked, but his follow up shot was adjudged
by the ref to have been blocked by Welsh’s hand.
Hoolahan made no mistake from the penalty spot, putting a low left
foot shot beyond the reach of Daniels outstretched dive to his left.
Hoolahan’s trickery then won his side another corner. Lappin’s
delivery was deep but headed goal ward by Berthel Askou until Marlon
Broome’s diving header put it out for another corner, which Tranmere
defended much better this time.
Parry then attempted to inject some fresh impetus into the game in the
74th minute with a double substitution, which saw the ineffective 31-
year-old Michael Ricketts replaced by Ian Thomas-Moore, and Curran by
Terry Gornell.
However, this did not have the effect intended by the long-serving
Rovers' physio , as his side fell further behind. The close range goal from
Doherty, his first this season, owed much to a right-wing cross from
Lappin, which somehow eluded everyone in the six-yard area to find the
unmarked Hoolahan on the left. He jinked around Broomes to tee up the
City defender, who calmy side-footed the ball into the far corner of the net.
Parry then made his last change, in the 83nd minute, bringing on the pacey
Kithson Bain for Fraughan.
Twice in the three minutes of added time, Martin went very close to
adding a third goal. In the first, he broke the Rovers’ offside trap
and drew out the young keeper but could only hit the side netting,
albeit from a very tight angle.
Then a goal-bound header, from Lappin’s well delivered left-wing cross
was pushed over the bar by Daniels!
FULL-TIME: Norwich City 2 Tranmere Rovers 0
Line-ups:
City.
Forster (GK), Ostemobor, Drury, Holt ©, Doherty, Hoolahan, Martin,
Lappin, Russell. Smith, Berthel Askou.
Unused Subs: Theoklitos (GK), Nelson, Hughes, Cureton, Adeyemi,
McVeigh, McDonald
Rovers.
Daniels (GK), Goodison ©, McLaren, Broomes, Welsh, Taylor, Ricketts
(Thomas-Moore 74), Fraughan (Bain 82), Shuker, Bayaygo, Curran (Gornell
74)
Unused Subs. Collister (GK), Cresswell, Baker
Goals:
City. Hoolahan (penalty) 60, Doherty 80.
Rovers. None
Discipline
City. None
Rovers. Welsh (18), Goodison (61)
Referee: Mr D Deadman
Attendance: 25,025