Football: Norwich act on the call to arms

Norwich City. . . . .2

Manchester City. . . 1

NORWICH are full of surprises. Their following embraces such disparate individuals as Herbie Hide and Delia Smith; their ground appears modest but is a model for other clubs; and the team refuse to bow to setbacks or the presumption that the championship is a two-horse race.

Both Aston Villa and Manchester United have still to visit Carrow Road, where Mike Walker's canny, counter-attacking team have lost only once in the League this season. 'It got to me at first when people started saying it's a two-horse race,' Walker said. 'But now I use it as a motivational force.'

Motivation, and the ability to express easily a call to arms, is a key part of Walker's managerial style and success. His exhortations are echoed by Gary Megson, a free transfer from City who provides the adhesion and aggression to keep the team together and on top.

A mini-Kippax booed him throughout as the former Maine Road stalwart disrupted a City midfield missing the steadying influence of a McMahon, a Reid or, well, a Megson. The visitors' singing - their version of 'Blue Moon' shames much of the junk in the charts - was the only highlight of a first half-hour long on noise, but short on poise.

Then, in the space of 104 seconds, Norwich produced a brace of goals to eclipse the Blue Moon. The build-ups were flowing, the finishing instinctive. Megson, Mark Bowen and John Polston combined to give Mark Robins the first, a goal-line lunge, before City's soft centre was almost immediately exposed by an even swifter break.

Bowen and David Phillips fed Ruel Fox on the right and the winger's pass into Lee Power's path was first-time and first-class - as was Power's forceful 15-yard finish.

'I don't know whether Peter (Reid) was more sickened by the flu or by our first-half display,' Sam Ellis, City's No 2, said of his ailing manager. Reid's side gave a healthier showing in an eventful second period full of mistakes by Norwich, misses by David White, and almost a hospitalised referee when Brian Hill was sent into orbit by Garry Flitcroft. City attacked ceaselessly but could manage only Mike Sheron's lofted reply.

Norwich survived and the background music pumped out after each of their goals must have brought a wry smile to home fans. 'Another One Bites The Dust'.

Goals: Robins (29) 1-0; Power (30) 2-0; Sheron (46) 2-1.

Norwich City: Gunn; Culverhouse, Bowen, Butterworth, Polston, Megson, Goss (Sutch, 60), Power (Johnson, 89), Robins, Fox, Phillips. Substitute not used: Walton (gk).

Manchester City: Coton; Ranson, Phelan (Hill, 44), Ingebrigtsen (Quigley, 81), Curle, Vonk, White, Sheron, Quinn, Flitcroft, Holden. Substitute not used: Dibble (gk).

Referee: B Hill (Kettering).