Iwan Roberts missed his first game this season, failing to recover from his bruised rib injury picked up last Saturday against Birmingham, so ex-Man U striker Alex Notman replaced him up-front with Marc Libbra joining him in a 4-4-2 formation. This change from last week's 4-5-1 meant Darel Russell dropped to the bench, which also included 16-year-old Academy Starlet Ian Henderson and our on-loan striker from Wimbledon, David Nielson.
The Coventry side contained a certain Keith O'Neill, transfered over the summer from Middlesborough, who received a not-so-pleasant welcome in the form of loud booing every time he touched the ball. The fact that he earned himself a yellow card for taking out Mark Rivers in the first couple of minutes did nothing to endear him to the Canary faithful.
City started off positively and were immediately on the attack - Coventry managing to clear after Paul McVeigh had beaten the keeper from Rivers' cross. On 7 minutes Phil Mulryne wasted City's first corner of the game, won by good work by the lively Alex Notman. Although City were dominating the Sky Blues weren't without their chances - Laurent Delorge's shot going narowly wide.
City opened the scoring in the 12th minute, under circumstances the Blues' fans weren't happy with, it looking like Phil Mulryne had handled the ball. Nonetheless, play went on and Mulryne showed good vision sending Rivers into the penalty area. Rivers wriggled past a couple of players before crossing the ball back across the goal, a Coventry defender deflecting it in, but both players were more than happy for Rivers to claim it.
The Coventry players were getting a bit heated, with three of their players being booked in the space of six minutes, and then Robert Green a few minutes later for holding onto the ball too long.
On 24 minutes Lee Hughes inflicted a nasty tackle on Mark Rivers in front of the South Stand, so nasty infact that the whole of the South Stand stood up and chanted "off!" Quite a reaction from a bunch of placid pensioners. After lengthy treatment from physio Neal Reynolds Rivers was able to continue.
On the half-hour mark Coventry thought they had equalised, but lucky for Norwich Yousef Chippo's cross was adjudged by the linesman to have gone out before entering the 6 yard box.
Green made two crucial saves shortly after, Delorge tested Green with the young City keeper spilling the ball, but Green redeemed himself by denying the lurking Hughes from scoring from the follow-up. City rather tailed off for the rest of the half, but defended stoutly to defend their lead.
Half-Time Score: Norwich 1 Coventry 0
Coventry started the stronger as they looked for the equaliser but found a City defence more than equal to their attempts. 5 minutes into the second half Worthington brought on David Nielson, making his City debut, for the ineffective Marc Libbra.
Ten minutes into the half City won two corners biut wasted them both, an all-too-familiar scene. on the hour mark Thompson found space in midfeild for the visiters, setting up Chippo who produced a well-timed block from City Man Of The Match Craig Fleming.
Adam Drury needed lengthy treatment after a reckless challenge by Lee Fowler, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, for which he received the fourth booking for Coventry. Then City stepped up a gear when David Nielson did well to make space down the right wing and get in a cross which the impressive Notman blasted goalwards. However, Hedman was there again to deny the Scottish striker at the expense of a City corner. That was put out for another which Hedman then easily caught.
Notman was denied an even better chance with 20 minutes to go. He had done very well to round the right-back Edgeworthy and produced a brilliant curling shot that was going perfectly into the top-right corner, until Hedman pushed it past the post at the last second. Yet again the resulting corner was wasted as the visitors easily dispossessed City.
Thompson was the next to enter the referee's rather full notebook, as he continued to argue with the official rather than walk away. Notman and Nielson linked up well on 78 minutes and had the loan-signing's final pass not been too strong down the right wing, Notman would have had a clear run at goal.
The tiring Rivers was replaced by the athletic Russell on 79 minutes as the visitors looked to stepping up a gear looking for that equaliser. With ten minutes to go Drury had to be alert to stop the surging right-wing run by Thompson and on 84 minutes Fleming played it safe and headed the ball out for a Coventry corner, which was safely dealt with by Green.
After another good chance from Notman failed to produce a goal, City finally got that crucial second with only two minutes remaining. Nielson ran perfectly onto Fleming's long ball upfield, before dodging a Coventry defender, lobbing it over keeper Hedman and bumbling it into the net.
Malky Mackay and Alex Notman provided good competition for the Man Of the Match award, Notman being desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet, but without Fleming's solid defensive display then Coventry would have found it alot easier to get back into the game.
The Coventry side contained a certain Keith O'Neill, transfered over the summer from Middlesborough, who received a not-so-pleasant welcome in the form of loud booing every time he touched the ball. The fact that he earned himself a yellow card for taking out Mark Rivers in the first couple of minutes did nothing to endear him to the Canary faithful.City started off positively and were immediately on the attack - Coventry managing to clear after Paul McVeigh had beaten the keeper from Rivers' cross. On 7 minutes Phil Mulryne wasted City's first corner of the game, won by good work by the lively Alex Notman. Although City were dominating the Sky Blues weren't without their chances - Laurent Delorge's shot going narowly wide.
City opened the scoring in the 12th minute, under circumstances the Blues' fans weren't happy with, it looking like Phil Mulryne had handled the ball. Nonetheless, play went on and Mulryne showed good vision sending Rivers into the penalty area. Rivers wriggled past a couple of players before crossing the ball back across the goal, a Coventry defender deflecting it in, but both players were more than happy for Rivers to claim it.
The Coventry players were getting a bit heated, with three of their players being booked in the space of six minutes, and then Robert Green a few minutes later for holding onto the ball too long.
On 24 minutes Lee Hughes inflicted a nasty tackle on Mark Rivers in front of the South Stand, so nasty infact that the whole of the South Stand stood up and chanted "off!" Quite a reaction from a bunch of placid pensioners. After lengthy treatment from physio Neal Reynolds Rivers was able to continue.On the half-hour mark Coventry thought they had equalised, but lucky for Norwich Yousef Chippo's cross was adjudged by the linesman to have gone out before entering the 6 yard box.
Green made two crucial saves shortly after, Delorge tested Green with the young City keeper spilling the ball, but Green redeemed himself by denying the lurking Hughes from scoring from the follow-up. City rather tailed off for the rest of the half, but defended stoutly to defend their lead.
Half-Time Score: Norwich 1 Coventry 0
Coventry started the stronger as they looked for the equaliser but found a City defence more than equal to their attempts. 5 minutes into the second half Worthington brought on David Nielson, making his City debut, for the ineffective Marc Libbra.
Ten minutes into the half City won two corners biut wasted them both, an all-too-familiar scene. on the hour mark Thompson found space in midfeild for the visiters, setting up Chippo who produced a well-timed block from City Man Of The Match Craig Fleming.
Adam Drury needed lengthy treatment after a reckless challenge by Lee Fowler, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, for which he received the fourth booking for Coventry. Then City stepped up a gear when David Nielson did well to make space down the right wing and get in a cross which the impressive Notman blasted goalwards. However, Hedman was there again to deny the Scottish striker at the expense of a City corner. That was put out for another which Hedman then easily caught.
Notman was denied an even better chance with 20 minutes to go. He had done very well to round the right-back Edgeworthy and produced a brilliant curling shot that was going perfectly into the top-right corner, until Hedman pushed it past the post at the last second. Yet again the resulting corner was wasted as the visitors easily dispossessed City.Thompson was the next to enter the referee's rather full notebook, as he continued to argue with the official rather than walk away. Notman and Nielson linked up well on 78 minutes and had the loan-signing's final pass not been too strong down the right wing, Notman would have had a clear run at goal.
The tiring Rivers was replaced by the athletic Russell on 79 minutes as the visitors looked to stepping up a gear looking for that equaliser. With ten minutes to go Drury had to be alert to stop the surging right-wing run by Thompson and on 84 minutes Fleming played it safe and headed the ball out for a Coventry corner, which was safely dealt with by Green.
After another good chance from Notman failed to produce a goal, City finally got that crucial second with only two minutes remaining. Nielson ran perfectly onto Fleming's long ball upfield, before dodging a Coventry defender, lobbing it over keeper Hedman and bumbling it into the net.
Malky Mackay and Alex Notman provided good competition for the Man Of the Match award, Notman being desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet, but without Fleming's solid defensive display then Coventry would have found it alot easier to get back into the game.
