Matt was prompt at 7:15 to pick me an Eloise up and off we went to get Marco
By all accounts traffic was going to be bad so the early start was the right move
Matt's magical sat-nav somehow also knew of the potential problems as it guided us off the M25 almost immediately to God knows where
The one thing we have all learned though is NEVER doubt the sat-nav
After 3 hours though my pea sized bladder was fit to burst as we seemed intent on travelling down services free roads
Finally we found one (I couldn't tell you where we were) and as the others scoffed Maccie breakfasts I sampled a pasta salad from M&S in the open air
Once you became acclimatised to the stench of silage / raw sewerage it was rather pleasant.....
Back in the car we made good time to Norwich we parked up and started walking to the Robbie recommended "Coach and Horses"
Half way there I stopped a guy coming the over way in a canary shirt and asked if we were going the right way
He said their were 2 ways equally good but the way we were going meant that we needed to go through the train station then go down the rude
This isn't a typo - best accent I've heard at an away game by a country mile
The irony was that as we got there this guy actually walked in before us
Why didn't he just say "follow me" ?
I suppose I wouldn't have got to hear rude though.....
The pub was excellent with a brewery on the premises and despite Matt trying to get me steaming by claiming the beer he got me was the same a his and not the obviously stronger beer (Matt - no means no) all went well meeting Phil, Ryan, Craig, Robbie and son
We weren't quite sure how to get to the ground so I decided to follow a couple of canaries
I was just telling everyone how the last time we followed a home supporter was Watford and we ended up in Boots the Chemist
As I let that hilarious gem settle the 2 canaries stopped at their car in a random car park and put their bags in it
Oh, twice then
The stadium looked great on the inside and it looked like we'd turn out in numbers
The only slight fly in the ointment was all the pre-match music so loud and largely unnecessary - it wasn't as if it encouraged the crowd to sing....
Grabban got his first touch in the first minute as the ball was played up to him but he wasn't able to control it and the lines were cleared
Good to see that not everything had changed
AFCB then started to press and 5 minutes into the mar Francis reminded us what we'd been missing with a lovely run and cross down the right which had to be headed skilfully away
Gosling then had a shot over the bar and this good start had clearly rattled the hosts who committed foul after foul, including one on Stanislas that got the yellow it deserved as he was stopped from running clear
The travelling fans were rightly annoyed but it did make me think "are we too nice?"
Would we be clever enough to take one for the team / maybe they were just showing the necessary killer instinct
That instinct was put to good use on 14 minutes when, against the run of play, Norwich took the lead
Their speedy right winger made Daniels look like he was dragging Addison behind him as he swept past him and put a cross to the near post
There was Grabban to simultaneously raise both feet - yes folks, he jumped, and he headed the ball past Camp
Who knew Grabban could actually head the ball - he'd not shown that at dean court so perhaps that is why he was so unchallenged
Their crowd cheered but ours did a curious double take
Initially we groaned then a fair proportion gave a wincing smile as it was clear their bets had paid off - well, it was bound to happen, wasn't it?
We then tried to get back in the game by keeping hold of the ball which I admit looked quite pretty, but we had no guile or cutting edge to make anything happen
I understood why we'd gone with just Wilson up front but he received no accurate balls over the top and those hoofed to him were rarely held up for the rest of the team
It was like playing Wilson in the Kermorgant role - curious
This was how it went for the next 15 minutes until Norwich finally woke up and had shots from Grabban and Lafferty go wide and over respectively without us having troubled the keeper
Camp was forced into 2 good saves in 3 minutes from the 38th minute mark - first from a stinging near post free kick and then sliding at Lafferty's feet as he was through after Arter had been robbed
In 45 minutes Eloise's genetically small bladder could last no more and off she ran - only to miss AFCBs best move of the game
Good work in the middle was rewards by Francis being played in on the inside of his full-back and he slid an inch perfect low cross in for Wilson to smash home
In fairness, the keeper almost stopped it but the shot's ferocity from close range was too much
Upon returning we asked Eloise if she wouldn't mind staying in the loo for the second half as it seemed to help - she politely declined
Half Time 1-1
I thought Norwich would throw everything at us at the beginning of the second half but in fact the game was very even
Clearly the late goal had buoyed us
The only stat Norwich were leading in was fouls and some like the ones on Stanislas and Arter were bloody awful and got the cards they deserved, rather than the ones the away fans were baying for
Ritchie came on for Fraser on 60 minutes and that seemed to inject some purpose into the side with shots from both Gosling and Wilson going close
Pugh came on for Stanislas 5 minutes later and the game slowly changed to Norwich attacking and us counter-attacking
On 75 minutes an unnecessary Francis yellow card had Norwich pressing forward with the free kick and a number of corners and despite being better in the air than us they were unable to get the ball on target
With 10 minutes to go Wilson burst through and as he was tackled the ball fell to Ritchie who pinged the ball to Pugh on the left of the box
A slight mis control had the ball bounce up so he volleyed I at goal and the keeper saved but spilled it - a shame no-one in red was there to pick up the pieces
With 3 minutes to go an wen better chance went begging as Pugh again was put through to the byline and unselfishly pulled the ball back to Ritchie
As he was about to pull the trigger a brilliant last ditch slide nipped it of his toes and Norwich went in the attack
Arter ran back to cover and just outside the box he was adjudged to have fouled - much to his obvious displeasure
As we all held our collective breath the shot was powered in but luckily it was right above Camp's head and he was able to tip it over
Final Score 1-1
Summary : Lots and lots of lovely possession and pretty play but far too reminiscent of the Groves era - tippy tappy with no end product
Francis was a colossus at the back and showed what we had missed - Daniels was so far off the pace it just wasn't funny
Stacking the midfield seemed to work although I was a bit disappointed with Gosling - rather anonymous
Wilson worked tirelessly on his own but if he is to do that role regularly away from home I think he will need a few Kermorgant pills to beef himself up so that he can hold onto the ball better
Overall, the team's fitness and work-rate were excellent and they were very good slur for a point - but deserved no more
Star Man : Francis
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