Norwich City 2 Sheff Utd 1

Last updated : 04 February 2002 By Della Broad
Before the game kicked off the crowd produced a warm welcome for the promotion-winning side as part of the Club's Centenary Year celebrations.
of 1971/72.

Rob Green returned in goal for the not-so-popular Paul Crichton and our on-loan midfielder from Wimbledon Andy Roberts started in place of the suspended Darel Russell. Libbra started up-front with Nielsen, Notman dropping to the bench, and Rivers replaced Sutchy on the right. Phil Mulryne was on the bench, looking to make his comeback from his ankle injury.

The first half was rather dull, with neither side looking likely to score and frequently losing possession. Robert Page went close with a header in the eighth minute for the Blades, while Libbra shot wide from 20 yards out a minute later. Nielsen tried a Zola-esque back-flick shot from almost exactly the same place from where Zola scored the much-talked-about third Chelsea goal a couple of weeks ago, but it unfortunately went straight at Simon Tracey.

On the half hour mark Green made a superb diving save from Ndlovu's shot on the half volley from 25 yards out, while Norwich's best chance came on 42 minutes when Roberts took a quick free-kick and found Libbra, and the ball then reached Nielsen whose shot was inches wide of the post.
Green was then called into action again and saved well from a Paul Devlin shot from a tight angle on the stroke of half-time.

Half Time Score: Norwich City 0 Sheffield United 0

The second half was an imporvemtrn on the first, Kenton did well to put off Devlin in the box, while at the other end Libbra headed just wide from a difficult angle from Rivers' corner.

On 68 minutes Worthington made a double substitution, Alex Notman coming on for the ineffective Marc Libbra, and Phil Mulryne coming back from injury to replace Mark Rivers on the right. This team change made an immediate impact - just three minutes later Norwich took the lead. Nielsen was brought down in the area by Robert Page, and as the referee waved away our appeals for a penalty Kenton was the quickest to react, driving the ball past a startled Simon Tracy.

Kenton doubled Norwich's score and his tally for the season just two minutes later when he found himself unmarked and powerfully headed home Mulryne's skillfully taken corner.

Just another two minutes later and the ball was in the back of the net again, but up the other end. Blades midfielder Michael Brown's curling 25 yard shot left Green with no chance and it flew past his outstretched hand into the top left hand corner of his net.

Sheffield then put Norwich under pressure, eager for an equaliser, but City coped and had chances through Holt and Notman before they won an indirect free-kick in the box after Tracey handled a back-pass, but Nielsen shot straight at the wall.

Full Time Score: Norwich City 2 Sheffield United 1

Darren Kenton deservedly won Man Of The Match, which he was probably good for even before his stunning brace. All this from a man being played out of position on the left!

City's first win of 2002 takes them back up to 6th place, and with only 1 point seperating the four play-off places, the battle is far from over yet :o)