Norwich City 2 - 2 Charlton Athletic - Holt's smash and grab at the death!!

On the afternoon that promised so much, and after 94 minutes of football it gave back so much of the promise and more.

 

Lambert stated on Friday he looked forward to games like this top teams heading to Carrow Road, to play in front of 20 plus thousand canary fans driving the team on to win.

 

Did he enjoy it after the final whistle? Only he will know heading home tonight while also thinking about Gillingham away next Saturday.

 

He did state however “Hoolahan was fantastic today; he was so creative and dangerous right across the pitch.” So he could put praise upon himself for the 2^nd league start of the season to the tiny Irishman.

 

In also came Spillane and Russell. The fact Rusty himself was only returning to full training on Thursday was a pure risk as the boss admitted on Friday morning, could he last the whole game? It was more the question how long could he last?

 

The answers came flooding for any football pundit about half way through the 2^nd half on the few occasions the canaries needed experience, he came through with flying colours and gave the answer to Friday’s question, and he would play the full 94 minutes.

 

Experience was something that was needed in a game with a tough Charlton side looking in bits and bobs every bit the team flying high at the top of league one.

 

Don’t think I mean a pretty football side. Not by any means were Charlton a graceful side but in fact quite a nasty out fit when they had be, backed by their midfield five made up of Nicky Bailey, who may have been lucky to have stay on the pitch just before half time for a very dubious tackle on Holt.

 

That’s when the referee would play his part in the game by not even shown any kind of card just having a word with the thug in question, after that Mr Tanner looked like he wanted half time more then either side did. In phrase, the only way I can describe what would follow, he lost the plot completely!

 

Grant Holt even admitted after the game “I think the ref wanted half time to come more then we did to be honest.”

 

The canaries started very well looking bright and driving forward from the off. Charlton did play their part on the counter attack, with Lloyd Sam and Jon Jo Shelvey looking impressive and making most of the creative chances.

 

Charlton’s goals both came from headers. The first a harmless corner was given away by Lappin, the in swinging corner from Shelvey found the short but stout diving figure of Deon Burton who connected with his head for number 5 of the season.

 

 

 

The second a cross from the right found the canaries flat footed, while they could only watch the young lad Shelvey aim his header into the net leaving Forster standing watching. Charlton were two up after 39 minutes with their loyal travelling fans calling for seven goals!

 

Grant Holt missed a golden chance by being put through by the ever impressive Korey Smith; he could only fire wide with the goal at his mercy.

 

He would make up twice for the canaries for such a guilty miss.

 

He was the creative mind with his quick thinking picking and taking the throw in he had just battled to win, he picked up the ball and released the perfect through ball to Hoolahan who put it away on the inside of the approaching Rob Elliot.

 

Chris Martin then saw his left sided cross deflect high in the air, with time ticking away and looking like a frustrating afternoon for the canaries. Holt just jumped with the ball coming down and the keeper coming towards him, and with it hitting the back of the big lads head in it went for what seem like ages to the ecstatic crowd.

 

The canaries had a couple of good other chances from Smith and Otsemobor. Best of the chances had the canaries nearly heart in mouths when sub Cody McDonald was acrobatic with a over head kick which went inches wide in the last seconds of added time.   

 

Lambert when asked about his own celebrations when Holt scored said with great calmness recollected “Yes it was a huge goal, emotions run deep when you score the late goal weather you win or draw, I enjoyed it like the fans did.”

 

He went on to say about the game “The lads done fantastic today, again the effort we ask for was there. We just need to plug the hole from set pieces because that drives me crazy. The team proved today they can be as good, if not better then any team in this league.”

 

Charlton boss Parkinson went on to say “I thought it was a clear foul on our keeper, we can only be gutted with the goal. My lads played well, they will be gutted that the referee did not give the free kick for the foul.”

 

When asked about the Bailey incident “Maybe it was a yellow card? But the big lad Holt has made a meal of everything he has went for all day. He knows about Nicky’s temper and players do that every single week.”