Match Report 2001-2002

Saturday 10 November, 2001, Division One

Norwich City Away

Everything's right in the world, tonight.

Funny things, footballers. Goalkeepers especially so, or so we mused at half time as we heard news coming through from Old Trafford. England had led but, reports suggested, Leeds' Nigel Martyn had once again pushed a ball back into free play for Sweden to equalise.

I once had the audacity to question Martyn and was told by City fans that he was Leeds' best player and to call him looked churlish but that way that the Elland Road custodian had of taking an extra six inches forward when he made contact with the ball, be it a step into a shot or a push as he gathers, always made me question if he was as good as they said he was. Certainly Martyn has not erased this facet from his game. Players very rarely iron out faults in there play, very rarely change there game. Goalkeeper especially so.

And obviously on to Aidan Davison. BfB was forceful in criticism of him following the 2-2 draw with Crewe last week, this week his name can be found at the foot of this report under the phrase Man Of The Match.

For this week as City needed Davison, Davison delivered. He was everything that the heroic second string keeper coming in for the injured senior man should be. With Gary Walsh unable to travel owing to whiplash form Thursday M62 smash, Aidan Davison took an opportunity to restart his spell in the team. Last week was him shouldering the responsibility, this week was emergency.

Chief save in the first half of a game that was clash smash and grab from City was Davison's save from Iwan Roberts after the former Town man found himself through with enough time to pick his spot. Davison stood up well, got a lot behind the ball and stopped it. Confidence, in short. What he had this week but lacked last.

Indeed confidence seems to have come back to this City team. Four games unbeaten and impressive today. If Eoin Jess's powerful and accurate tenth of the season following a precise Matthew Etherington cross showed that the City had self belief, Robbie Blake's goal two minutes later suggested that that self belief may have finally found it's way to the darkest , sulkiest reaches of the dressing room.

Blake got the ball, back to goal on the edge of the box with three canary shirts around him. I confess I am not sure how he managed to get from that point to the ball in the goal, but it was akin to that one at Wolves or that one against Sheffield United. Blake as the new Peter Beardsley, as one Blackburn fan once dubbed him. Perhaps.

Blake got his second of the game following the Nigel Martyn pondering half time when he converted from the spot following confusion. It had seemed as if the referee was about to ignore the claims for a penalty as Norwich keeper Robert Green brought down the City number eight but if he started pointing for a goal kick, he ended pointing for a penalty. Blake made it 3-0 and while the locals cried injustice one's mind could not help but go back to that bizarre decision at the end of a game at Carrow Road three years ago when City lead two-one in the final seconds only for a penalty to be given against Andrew O'Brien for a foul by Darren Moore, or something like that. The details allude but the feeling, that this game had a kind of 1998-1999 feel about it, was there.

Perhaps that could be the 442 that Jim Jefferies finally seems to have settled on. Matthew Etherington and Eoin Jess kept Juanjo cooling his heels until next week's game with Walsall at least. Robbie Blake, in this form, is undroppable. Andy Tod, Gary Locke and Stuart McCall all deserve mentions for solid displays as does Peter Atherton, back from lone and absence and unfortunately off the field by the time impressive Paul McViegh lashed home to reduce the deficit, the sort of goal that Aidan Davison is allowed to let in and perhaps on reflection the sort that Nigel Martyn would get hands to, but would probably push back into play.

Mark Bower replaced Atherton following the defender's exit and the local boy made good in odd circumstances following his switch with Andy Tod following the colour co-ordinated Canary onslaught. A Gary Locke cross was cleared by former Celtic man Malky MacKay straight into Bower who claimed a first senior goal on his league debut. Former St Bede's pupils everywhere raised a smile to the teachings of Mr. Rooke and City finished 4-1 winners.

So everything is right in the world, tonight. City win. Jim Jefferies seems to have dovetailed the crisis of October into the promotion push of November and David Wetherall failed him Manchester City medical. The FA Cup first round is next week, the season is not that old and there may be life in it yet. Perhaps we write things off too quickly at BfB and in football in general. Perhaps things are not as set in stone as we would believe.

Aidan Davison, it would seem, shows it that much at least.

Man of the Match

Aidan Davison

Exceptional display especially considering last week and, lest we forget, Leeds last term, had most of us dismissing the player.

City Team:

Davison
Halle Atheron Myers Jacobs
Jess McCall Locke Etherington
Tod Blake

Subs: Bower for Atherton