Safri's rare strike silences Rovers

Norwich City 1 - Bristol Rovers

Not winning, like winning, becomes a habit. And Norwich City, still looking for maximum points after six Premiership games, barely managed to break it in last night's Carling Cup second-round match despite the fact that their opposition were from League Two - Fourth Division, in old money.

Not winning, like winning, becomes a habit. And Norwich City, still looking for maximum points after six Premiership games, barely managed to break it in last night's Carling Cup second-round match despite the fact that their opposition were from League Two - Fourth Division, in old money.

In a match where they consistently failed to make the most of their ample possession, Norwich were ultimately thankful for a rare moment of opportunism from their 27-year-old Moroccan midfielder, Youssef Safri.

The £500,000 close-season signing from Coventry City decided this game with a low snapshot from 30 yards as the first half moved into added time, and the statistics showed it was only his second goal in English football following a career at Highfield Road which yielded just one score in 91 League games.

Yet, as the home manager, Nigel Worthington, revealed afterwards, it was the shooting prowess that Safri showed while playing against Norwich last season which prompted his move to Carrow Road. "He had three shots which shaved the post, and that stood out in my mind," Worthington said. "We are forever going on to the players in training to have a pot. Tonight proved that if you shoot, you have a chance to score."

As Worthington pointed out beforehand, his side had a proud record in this competition, having reached the final four times, winning the trophy twice. But in the past three seasons that shining tradition has been smudged by first-round defeats to lower League opposition in the form of Brentford, Cheltenham and Northampton.

The prospect of similar humiliation should have begun to recede for Norwich as early as the 11th minute, when their signing from Spurs, Gary Doherty, failed to beat the keeper after being sent clear by John Anderson's missed clearance.

Safri's striking moment calmed the rising anxiety, though the Rovers substitute Craig Disley shot over with the goal at his mercy 15 minutes from time. Rovers finished with 10 men, with Steve Elliott getting a second yellow card in the 92nd minute, but much credit.

Norwich City: (4-4-2): Green; Helveg, Charlton, Fleming, Drury; Francis, Safri (Edworthy, 82), McVeigh (Bentley, 80), Holt; Doherty (Svensson, 74), Huckerby. Substitutes not used: Ward (gk), Jonson.

Bristol Rovers (4-5-1): Miller; Hinton, Edwards, Anderson, Elliott; Gibb, Campbell (Walker, 80), Hunt, Trollope (Lescott, 68), Beswetherick (Disley, 58); Agogo. Substitutes not used: Thorpe, Forrester.

Referee: K Friend (Leicestershire).