Sport

Norwich's hopes kept alive by Ashton header

English Premiership/Norwich 2 - Newcastle 1: Newcastle supporters who thought things could only get better now know differently…

By Richard Rae at Carrow Road
Thu Apr 21 2005 - 01:00

English Premiership/Norwich 2 - Newcastle 1: Newcastle supporters who thought things could only get better now know differently. A glorious 35-yard strike from Youssef Safri, and an injury-time header from Dean Ashton inflicted United's third defeat in eight days, and kept alive the Canaries hopes of retaining their Premiership status.

The visitors came within a short foot of going ahead after five minutes when Shearer turned on a hopeful ball from Jean-Alain Boumsong and from a tight angle on the edge of the six-yard box shot just wide.

The football was open but not particularly proficient, summed up by an incident after 20 minutes when Robert Green allowed a straightforward Lauren Robert free-kick to hit him on the chest and bounce out. Shearer was first to react, but with only Green to beat somehow poked his shot wide, a miss that must rank as one of worst in his 365-goal career.

Stephen Carr's drive brought a good save from Green, and the goalkeeper also had to be at his best to block Laurent Robert's first-time volley with his feet. Norwich's best and only chance of the half came in stoppage-time when Damien Francis's headed effort was brilliantly blocked by Shay Given.

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It was a warning to United that the second half was unlikely to prove as one sided as the first, and so it proved; aware that West Brom were ahead at Spurs, Norwich picked up the pace. And Safri was unlucky when, picking up the ball in midfield, the Moroccan looked up and hit as sweet a shot as he can have hit to beat Given off the underside of the bar. The question was whether this time City could hang on. Patrick Klivert's 89th minute strike seemed to indicate they could not, but Ashton had other ideas.

Guardian Service

NORWICH CITY: Green, Helveg, Fleming, Shackell, Drury, Bentley (Holt 89 mins), Safri, Francis, Huckerby (Jonson 45 mins), McKenzie (Svensson 82 mins), Ashton. Subs not used: Edworthy, Ward.Goals: Safri 68, Ashton 90.

NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Andrew O'Brien, Elliott, Milner (Ambrose 63 mins), Butt, N'Zogbia, Robert, Shearer, Ameobi (Kluivert 76 mins). Subs not used: Harper, Ramage. Goal: Kluivert 90.

Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands).