Norwich move on up

Norwich 3 Bolton 2

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce’s “mini-crisis” turned into a full-blown one at Carrow Road as the comeback kings of the Barclays Premiership again proved they have the stomach for the relegation dogfight.

For the eighth time this season – a record not matched by any team in the top flight – Nigel Worthington’s battlers came from behind to salvage something from a match, this time their second win since their return to the top flight.

Mathias Svensson was the hero with a crucial brace, including the late matchwinner and that after previously scoring just once this term, and the result lifted City out of the bottom three.

The concern is growing for Allardyce, though, as his side are now heading in the wrong direction, with just two points from their last six matches.

Luck appeared to be on his side after the opening 45 minutes, in particular after a 13th-minute incident which brought the game to life.

Darren Huckerby angled a brilliant pass into David Bentley, who had managed to steal in behind the Bolton defence with a darting run.

Bentley’s attempted cross was blocked by the left hand of Fernando Hierro after the ball had first spun off his leg.

The North Bank erupted as one with a cry of “penalty”, but perfectly-placed Orpington referee Barry Knight dismissed their appeals and those of City’s players.

Four minutes later though Knight did manage to spot an innocuous handball from Canaries defender Gary Doherty.

The Republic of Ireland international was caught unawares as a deep throw from Gary Speed reared up off the turf and hit him on the top of his right arm.

There was never any intent, and the incredulous look on his face said it all, but Knight applied the letter of the law and up stepped Bolton captain Jay-Jay Okocha to arrow the resultant spot-kick past Robert Green.

It was the Nigerian’s fifth goal of the season, but remarkably his first in the Premier League since August 25, although his joy at ending such a drought was curtailed inside a minute.

Bolton then proceeded to fall asleep at the back as a riled Norwich countered to great effect, culminating in an all-alone Svensson heading home only his second goal of the season with great aplomb from six yards courtesy of a precise Bentley cross.

Knight, who came into the game as the top flight’s most lenient official, again failed to endear himself to anyone of a yellow and green persuasion by booking Svensson for his celebrations, which lasted a further four minutes.

Bolton’s second goal – and Hierro’s first for the club – was by a more conventional route as the Spaniard rose perfectly at the near post to meet a Stelios Giannakopoulos corner with a powerful header. Green could only help tip into the roof of the net.

Green did come to City’s rescue eight minutes from the break, blocking a point-blank header from Radhi Jaidi as Norwich had clearly failed to learn from their earlier mistake.

City perhaps should have been on level terms going into the interval, but there was no-one on the end of Bentley’s free-kick, with the on-loan Arsenal midfielder then failing to make the most of a Huckerby cutback.

Bentley at least signalled City’s intent within 80 seconds of the restart as a darting run took him past two defenders and ended with a raking shot which shaved the right-hand post

Knight disappointed City supporters again on the hour, with their cheers dying in their throats when they realised he had pointed for a goal kick rather than the penalty spot after watching Nicky Hunt and Huckerby wrestle one another to the ground.

Knight then raised his cards-per-game average with bookings for Bruno N’Gotty and Ivan Campo in the space of six minutes before the penalty drama continued in the 68th minute.

This time there was no doubt about Speed’s trip on Bentley, despite Bolton claims for a dive, and Knight pointed to the spot again. Leading scorer Huckerby duly converted for his sixth goal of the season.

But Norwich were not content with one point, ultimately claiming all three six minutes from time with a virtual carbon copy of their opener.

Bentley, such an instrumental figure, again providing an inviting far-post cross which Svensson met with a downward header. His effort bounced off the turf and over the grasping fingers of the deceived Jussi Jaaskelainen.