Canaries blow two-goal lead to let City back for victory

Norwich 2 Manchester City 3

After cruising into a two-goal lead in barely a quarter of an hour, they were pegged back and then hit with a cruel Manchester City winner after finishing the Carrow Road clash with 10 men.

Dean Ashton gave them a dream start with a goal of exquisite subtlety after 12 minutes.

The £3m striker waited for Adam Drury’s chip to drop over his shoulder before lofting a volley over David James’ head and just inside the far post.

With City still trying to engage first gear, the Canaries made it two four minutes later.

Ashton provided the assist with the through ball and McKenzie outpaced Richard Dunne in a 30-yard dash before screwing a half-hit shot past the bemused James.

Robbie Fowler had a gilt-edged chance to get City back into the game midway through the first half but his chip shot floated well over Robert Green’s crossbar.

But soon afterwards Antoine Sibierski did cut the deficit when left unmarked to head in Kiki Musampa’s inswinging cross.

And just before half-time, it was 2-2 when the ever-dangerous Shaun Wright-Phillips carved the home defence apart and squared for Fowler to supply the easiestof tap-ins for his 150th league goal.

Norwich’s cause was not helped by the sending-off of Mattias Jonsson on 66 minutes for a second yellow after a rash lunge at Joey Barton.

City poured forward sensing a chance to snatch victory though McKenzie’s determined runalmost provided a late winnerfor the home side but sub Youssef Safri was inches away fromturning his cut-back into an empty goal.

But in the first minute of stoppage time, Wright-Phillips raced to the byeline and Fowler clipped his low cross home for an unlikely victory.

NORWICH: Green, Edworthy, Fleming, Shackell, Drury, Stuart (Safri 74), Holt, Francis, Jonson, McKenzie, Ashton.

MAN CITY: James, Mills, Dunne, Distin, Jordan, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bosvelt, Barton, Musampa, Sibierski, Fowler.

Referee: R Styles.