Canaries 2-1 Saddlers - Biggest Report OnLine.

By 4two
December 22 2002

The Saddlers conceded 2 goals in 5 minutes to throw away a one nil lead at Carrow Road. Yet again Walsall have played well away from home without brining home the three points.

Walsall Vs Notts Forest <

Norwich City 2 Vs 1 Walsall

	Location : Carrow Road, Norwich Positions: Norwich 4th Vs Walsall 18th.
	Mackay 55' Mulryne 60' (Norwich) Easton o.g 50' (Walsall)
	Yellows - Easton 33' Abbey 90' (Norwich) & Wrack 23' Roper 76' Sonner (Walsall) Reds - Ainsworth 70' (Walsall)

Green , Kenton , Mackay , Fleming , Drury , Rivers , Mulryne , Holt , Easton , Roberts , McVeigh
Subs: Nielsen , Abbey , Lee-Barrett , Russell , Henderson

Walker , Bazeley , Hay , Roper , Aranalde , Sonner , O'Connor , Corica , Wrack , Leitao , Junior
Subs: Carbon , Birch , Ainsworth , Simpson , Ward

Darren Wrack was awarded the man of the match award by many of the papers, and his good form seems to be continuing. Its good to see him back to his best.

it was the same starting 11 who had seen off the Mariners and Franchise on the previous two weekends . The Canaries were boosted by the promising Paul McVeigh who signed a contract extension just before the game.

Going in to the game the Saddlers fans would not have written this game off as a certain defeat, despite City being one of the Divisions high flying sides. Maybe this is the beauty of the being a Saddlers supporter at this moment in time, because we seem to know that we are going to show opposing sides no respect and just go for it.

By all accounts the Saddlers saw the best of what was a mediocre first half. The Junior and Jorge partnership produced the first clear cut Saddlers chance on 15 minutes, only for Leitao's effort to be saved by Green.

As the half hour mark approached, both Leitao and Sonner forced Green to make further saves, as the Saddlers continued to look for a way through.

Norwich had bright spells, and were constantly looking to hit the Saddlers on the break. They had their chances in the half, but like the Saddlers failed to convert them

HT: Canaries 0-0 Walsall

Walsall approached the opening 10 minutes of the second the half the way they had gone about business in the first half. With 50 minutes on the clock, a Corica cross was turned in to the Canaries net by Easton. 1-0 to the Saddlers.

The steal we had shown in recent performances may well have given fans hope of holding on, but this was not to be. An Easton Corner just five minutes after the Saddlers had taken the lead got the Canaries back in to the game. It found the head of Mackay and put the Saddlers firmly on the back foot. They faced a series of City attacks, before Philip Mulryne grabbed the winner on the hour mark from a direct free kick 20 yards out.

The Saddlers didn't give up, and Junior and Leitao both had two chances in quick succession of each other , but again they had not got their shooting boots on, and it wasn't going to be their day.

When substitute Gareth Ainsworth received his marching orders on 70 minutes any remaining hopes were firmly dead and buried. He got a red card for a challenge Holt, that the ref deemed suitable for a straight Red.

Easton and Wrack both had chances in injury time, but Wracks short run of goal scoring form was absent, while Easton had to settle for an OG and an assist for the day.

This game has provided fans with further evidence of the fact that we are not a million miles away from being a mid table side. We again matched a team who are promotion contenders for much of the game, but their extra quality came through in the end.

FT - Canaries 2-1 Saddlers


	Walker 7, Bazeley 7, Aranalde 7, Roper 8, Hay 7, Wrack 8, O'Connor 7, Sonner 7, Leitao 7, Junior 7, Corica 7, SUBS: Birch 6, Ainsworth 6. Jimmy couldn't really be blamed for the goals, the defence was solid enough in the first half, just a shame the forwards couldnt produce the goods. The midfield have played better, but were not totally over run. Still they went for it. Darren Wrack had another cracking game. .
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	4two: Reaction - Oh Well. Lets just hope our good home form can continue. Their Keeper has played a blinder, the chances have not gone our way, can't complain when you look at the quality they have.
	7inchuknowwho: Reaction - am fed up of going to games where the ref keeps the home side happy. We never seem to get them at Bescot! The ref today missed Roberts time and again fouling and pulling at our defenders, missed or just ignored tackles on our players then books our players for much less, and then if that isn't enough, he cant even give a player who has literally just got on the pitch and hasn't even come to grips with the pace of the game, the benefit of a stern telling off or at worst a yellow card, no he has to red card him. I know Ainsworth was late but the Norwich player made quite a meal out of it. If anything Roper's late lunge was worse as he did seem to go for the players.
	Ratpack: Reaction - Anything less than 3 points and i think you could have said automatic promotion was asking to much. Also thanks to the town today our season could be changing again promised land here we come!!!! (CanaryCorner.com

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