Canaries draw a blank

JONATHAN REDHEAD

Norwich City picked up their first away point at Derby today but in the end could have taken all three.

Robert Earnshaw missed with a free header from six-yards out eight minutes from the end, while other opportunities came and went in a lively encounter at Pride Park.

But the Canaries were also grateful to the crossbar for keeping out a Steve Howard header during the first half.

Yet they may feel disappointed at not gaining victory after another decent battling performance.

They stormed into this match with some fizzing play and had an early goal by Gary Doherty dissallowed.

However, the Canaries then sat back and Derby took advantage with some heart-stopping shots on target.

Nigel Worthington enjoyed the luxury of naming an unchanged starting eleven for the fourth game in a row at Pride Park today.

The only changes came on the bench where Ryan Jarvis and Andy Hughes came into the squad for the first time this season in place of Leon McKenzie and the injured Peter Thorne.

Meanwhile, Derby boss Billy Davies, who has already used 20 players this season, made more changes from the team that won 2-1 at Hull.

In came former Canary Marc Edworthy at right back, while Paul Peschisolido, new signing Mo Camara and Morten Bisgaard also got a place in the starting line-up.

Davies also decided to do without a goalkeeper on the substitutes' bench which included new loan signing from Arsenal Arturo Lupoli.

City kicked off in the sunshine but Derby had the first attack, although Steve Howard was offside as he tried to get on to the end of an Inigo Idiakez pass.

The Canaries won their first corner in the second minute when Darren Huckerby put Edworthy under pressure.

City thought they had opened the scoring when Gary Doherty rose to head home Huckerby's corner but was adjudged to have fouled a defender and the goal was marked off.

The bright start continued a minute later as Lee Croft strode through the middle and went round Darren Moore but his low shot from 25-yards was saved comfortably by Stephen Bywater.

A good run and cross by Camara then forced Jason Shackell into conceding the visitors first corner.

City cleared their line and Bisgaard's low long range effort was well wide with five minutes on the clock.

Teenager Giles Barnes then evaded Dickson Etuhu's challenge in the middle of the park but his long range effort after six minutes was blocked by Shackell.

Youssef Safri then made a good tackle on Tommy Smith on the edge of the area as the Derby man picked up the rebound.

The game continued at a good pace as both sides looked to move forward.

In the 14th minute, Edworthy's long ball from the right back area was flicked on by Howard to Idiakez but as he made his way into the area, the Spaniard scuffed his cross and Doherty was happy to clear.

Two minutes later Paul Gallacher was forced into his first save, as one-time City target Howard struck a right foot shot from 25-yards.

In the 18th minute City were temporarily down to 10 men as Shackell came off worse in an aerial challenge with Howard and spent a minute off the pitch after a blow to the face.

Twenty minutes in and Carl Robinson's short pass to Croft let Derby break out with Camara but Safri headed the cross away.

From the resulting throw-in, Bisgaard spun and shot narrowly over from 30-yards.

After 21 minutes, City had an attacking free-kick on the right wing but Drury's cross was claimed by Bywater under pressure from Doherty.

After 23 minutes Barnes' short pass to Howard on the edge of the City box saw the big man spin Doherty, but Gallacher moved to his right to comfortably save the left foot shot.

Robert Earnshaw had his first shot in anger in the 25th minute but his left foot effort from the corner of the box flew over.

Derby came to closest to opening the scoring two minutes later when Howard beat Gallacher to an Idiakez free-kick but his header came back off the bar as Derby looked to gain the upper hand.

Gallacher then made another comfortable save from another Idiakez free-kick on the edge of the area as Safri fouled Barnes.

The Derby wide man was proving to be more than a handful for Etuhu in the D of the penalty area as Derby pressed. But Idiakez's free-kick was blocked by the six-man City wall.

In the 34th minute Derby were forced into their first change of the afternoon as Lewin Nyatanga came on for Moore.

Croft won City's second corner a minute later when his cross was blocked but from Drury's flag kick, Bywater saved a looping Doherty header.

Croft then received his second booking in as many games when he fouled Barnes, as the lively winger broke clear on the right again.

In the 38th minute City came to close to breaking the deadlock as Earnshaw saw his fierce right footed drive blocked in the area and only a last ditch challenge from Bisgaard stopped Huckerby tucking home the rebound.

After 39 minutes Safri became the second City player to be booked after tangling with Bisgaard in midfield.

City went close again after 41 minutes when Robinson glanced a header from a left wing cross by Earnshaw just over. Safri was warned by referee Richard Beebey for bringing down Bisgaard in the first minute of added on time but avoided a second booking.

City could be reasonably happy going in goalless at half-time after absorbing a great deal of Derby pressure.

t HALF-TIME: Derby County 0, Norwich City 0.

The players were greeted with heavy rain as the home side kicked off the second period.

Derby immediately pressed and Drury made a fine challenge to stop Howard breaking through but in any event, the assistant referee's flag was to come to his rescue.

After 48 minutes City won a corner on the right after great link up between Etuhu and Croft but Doherty headed the corner over.

A slow passing move a minute later involving Croft, Earnshaw and Robinson resulted in Huckerby lifting a shot from the corner of the box way over the bar.

A fine tackle by Jurgen Colin on Smith gave Derby another corner after 53 minutes but City managed to clear and from the break out, Huckerby set up Earnshaw and the Welshman's dipping shot from the edge of the box looked to be tipped over by Bywater but the referee gave a goal kick.

After 54 minutes Derby made their second change when Davies sent on Lupoli for Peschisolido. The Italian was immediately fouled by Doherty but Idiakez wasted another free-kick.

Earnshaw headed a crossed centre way over the bar as City looked to force the pace and the same player had a left foot shot blocked moments later.

On 62 minutes Howard escaped with a lecture from referee Beebey after a later challenge on Safri.

Edworthy was forced to clear from under his own crossbar after a good cross from Earnshaw and he repeated the trick moments later from a Croft cross, as City's 1700 travelling fans started to make all the noise.

After 65 minutes Safri continued to walk the disciplinary tightrope after bringing down Barnes in the centre circle. But to the annoyance of the home fans, the referee decided to let the Moroccan off.

With a quarter of the game remaining, City spurned another chance to take the lead when Huckerby was thwarted by Johnson.

Lupoli then became the first Derby player to be booked for a crude challenge on Croft.

On 72 minutes McVeigh came on for Croft and the substitute almost set up Etuhu but Bywater managed to claim the ball at the feet of the midfielder.

Bisgaard was then booked for a foul on Huckerby as City pressed again in a bid to take the lead.

With 15 minutes to go Derby boss Davies made his final change, introducing Bolder for Idiakez.

With just eight minutes left on the clock Earnshaw missed City's best chance to date when he escaped the attentions of Johnson but headed Colin's cross wide from just six-yards out.

On 85 minutes Camara was booked on his debut for a challenge on McVeigh.

Huckerby then came over to the right and won a foul from Camara on the edge of the Derby box. His curling free-kick was headed behind as Norwich looked to snatch all three points. But the corner came to nothing.

Derby looked to be wilting and after 88 minutes Earnshaw blazed over from 18-yards after more good work from Huckerby down the right.

With 60 seconds left, Shackell produced a great headed clearance to thwart Howard from a Smith cross. As the ball was cleared, Drury was given a yellow card for a trip on Bisgaard near the corner flag.

But Gallacher came off his line and confidently claimed the resulting free-kick as the match ended in stalemate.