Here is the second of a series of short reports on the last few
games. MLS

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http://www.pinkun.com/

Sheffield United 0, Norwich City 1
February 22, 2003
RICK WAGHORN
McVeigh strike relights City's fire

MATCH STATS
NORWICH CITY:
1 Robert Green; 2 Darren Kenton, 16 Steen Nedergaard, 3 Adam Drury,
4 Malky Mackay, 5 Craig Fleming, 8 Gary Holt, 24 Clint Easton, 9
Iwan Roberts, 15 David Healy, 18 Paul McVeigh. Subs: 10 Zema Abbey,
19 Keith Briggs, 22 Ian Henderson (for Healy, 82), 27 Mark Rivers,
28 Paul Crichton.

SHEFFIELD UNITED:
23 Paddy Kenny; 2 Rob Kozluk, 26 Wayne Quinn, 4 Steve Yates, 6
Robert Page, 7 Michael Brown, 8 Stuart McCall, 16 Peter Ndlovu, 18
Michael Tonge, 14 Wayne Allison, 24 Tommy Mooney.
Subs: 10 Paul Peschisolido, 12 Nick Montgomery (for Tonge, 45), 21
Colin Cryan (for Yates, 67), 28 Owen Morrison (for McCall 80), 30
Tyrone Tompson.

SCORERS:
Norwich: McVeigh 69.

MAN OF THE MATCH:
Paul McVeigh

ATTENDANCE:
19,020

REFEREE:
Mike Ryan (Preston).

BOOKINGS:
United: Quinn 17 (second yellow: 61), Brown 35, Page 61, Ndlovu 74
(second yellow: 90).
Norwich: Healy 25, Henderson 90.

RED CARDS:
United: Quinn 61, Ndlovu 90.

SHOTS ON TARGET:
United: 5
Norwich: 9

SHOTS OFF TARGET:
United: 4
Norwich: 5

CORNERS:
United: 2
Norwich: 4

FOULS:
United: 15
Norwich: 20

OFFSIDE:
United: 0
Norwich: 6

Norwich City re-ignited their play off campaign in the most dramatic
of fashions this afternoon with a remarkable 1-0 victory at Bramall
Lane.

Paul McVeigh's 69th minute strike proved the decisive moment as the
Canaries rode out a storm of protest that followed two second half
dismissals for the combative home side.

Wayne Quinn was the first to go on the hour for a second bookable
offence and before the end Peter Ndlovu had followed as United's
frustrations boiled over at their fourth consecutive league defeat.

That will be of little concern to Canary chief Nigel Worthington who
was forced to throw Clint Easton into the midfield fray following
the loss of Phil Mulryne's understudy Darel Russell with an ankle
injury.

In registering their first away win since the end of September, the
Canaries answered every question over their character and
temperament ahead of a frantic push back towards the play-off zone -
qualities they will need to repeat away at Gillingham on Tuesday
night.

But on the back of this excellent result and stirring performance
hope of a return to Cardiff suddenly sprang anew.

As the Canaries headed to Bramall Lane in the hope of re-igniting
their stalled play-off campaign with a sorely-needed away win, so
City's cause was hardly helped by a rash of injuries.

The absence of both Phil Mulryne (back) and David Nielsen (toe) was
widely known and widely expected - more of a surprise was the fact
that Darel Russell was also out of Nigel Worthington's plan after
reportedly turning over on his ankle in training.

With Paul Heckingbottom suffering with flu and club skipper Neil
Emblen still sidelined with an ankle knock, the Canaries were
dangerously close to the bare bones squad wise with Clint Easton
suddenly finding himself back on centre stage - in centre-midfield
alongside Gary Holt.

Worthington could at least welcome back on-loan Preston striker
David Healy after he was cup-tied for last Saturday's FA Cup trip to
Southampton.

As for the bench a fit-again Mark Rivers returned after his
abdominal strain whilst there was also a chance for new-boy Keith
Briggs to make his second appearance for his new employers following
his new year move from Stockport.

For the home side, struggling to get their own league form going
following three straight defeats, manager Neil Warnock was forced to
make three changes to the side that lost 3-1 at home to Reading in
midweek.

Out through suspension went Steve Kabba and centre Half Shaun Murphy
while Phil Jagielka was ruled out with a shoulder problem.

In their place came Wayne Allison up front, Rob Kozluk at right-back
and Steve Yates in to partner skipper Robert Page.

With the Canaries kicking off, it was United who made the first
impression with Allison breaking dangerously through the inside-
right channel only for the ball and the chance to run away from him
as the opportunity to shoot appeared to loom.

On six minutes City survived an early scare after Peter Ndlovu
latched on to a poor header from Gary Holt back to Craig Fleming and
raced away from a wrong-footed City back line.

From 18-yards out the one-time Birmingham winger took aim and
unleashed a fierce drive which cannoned back off Robert Green's
chest and it needed a smart interception from Fleming and Adam Drury
combined to stop Ndlovu bagging the rebound.

Otherwise it was proving to be something of a subdued contest with
an increasingly bobbly pitch doing neither side any real favours.

The next moment of interest arrived in the 14th minute when United's
boy wonder Michael Tonge fell awkwardly on his ankle under challenge
from Nedergaard and he was forced to hobble off for some urgent
treatment.

In the meantime United continued to press forward with Ndlovu again
proving a major threat as he swung an excellent cross towards City's
near post where Allison lurked.

The Blades' striker and Canary keeper both dived bravely for the
ball - the result of which was the ball rolling slowly wide of
Green's left upright.

Two minutes later and Wayne Quinn became the first name in the
referee's book when he caught Kenton late following a good run and
an equally fine ball to find him from Easton.

On 22 minutes Mooney had the clearest opportunity yet to open the
scoring as Ndlovu slung yet another dangerous cross through the City
box and though under pressure from Kenton, the on-loan Birmingham
striker should have done better than to loop his header over from
little more than six-yards out.

It was not, however, wholly one-way traffic as the Canaries carved
out their own chance on 24 minutes.

Stuart McCall gave the ball away deep in his own half and the ever-
alert McVeigh rolled the ball into the path of Healy as he broke
away on the left.

As United keeper Kenny closed down the angle so Healy unleashed a
low, left-foot drive which the Blades No. 1 did well to save low by
his right ankle.

Healy was again in the news two minutes later when he caught Tonge
just outside the City box and became the second name in referee
Ryan's book.

Two minutes before the half-hour mark and McVeigh came close to
opening the scoring as he whipped the ball away from Ndlovu before
sending a familiar, sweeping 20-yard shot towards the far corner
which Kenny was forced to hurriedly tip over.

City had a further chance just after the half-hour mark as Drury
made excellent progress down the left and finally forced a corner.

Easton swung the ball into the penalty area where Roberts found
enough space to guide a 12-yard header just over the bar.

Just before the break and Brown became the next name in the
referee's book after he clattered into McVeigh after the referee had
long blown for a United foul.

It prompted a stern lecture from the referee and Brown's ninth
booking of the season.

Just before the break Mooney would lose Kenton on the far post only
to see his header fall squarely on to the roof of Green's net, while
at the other end a low cross from Healy found Easton arriving on cue
only for Page's late challenge to ensure that the ball bounced
harmlessly up into Kenny's waiting arms.

Half-time - Sheffield United 0, Norwich City 0

The interval brought the first substitution of the afternoon as
Blades boss Warnock rested the injured Tonge and replaced him with
another United youngster in the shape of Nick Montgomery.

The first moment of note as far as Norwich were concerned arrived in
the 48th minute when an excellent break from Holt saw the Scottish
midfielder swinging an inviting cross in towards the near post where
Roberts was waiting. Unfortunately as the Canary striker waited for
the ball to loop his way so the linesman's flag fluttered for
offside and the opportunity was lost.

At the other end the dangerous Brown wriggled free before driving a
15-yard shot straight at Green.

That appeared to signal a revival in Norwich's fortunes as the
Canaries drove forward with greater menace.

Indeed it was the unlikely figure of Fleming forcing the next
opportunity as the City defender broke through two tackles to find
himself alone in the United box and his low shot scuttled just wide
of Kenny's right upright.

Moments later as the game began to open up it was Nedergaard forcing
Kenny into another fine save with a blistering 25-yard effort.

Moments earlier and Roberts had tested Kenny's reactions as
Nedergaard sent a dipping cross in from the right which the City
skipper met with a crisp first-time effort in front of the near-post
that needed a sharp, one-handed stop from Kenny.

United's frustrations at their inability to make much impression on
Norwich's goal boiled over on the hour mark when Healy wriggled free
away on the far touchline only to be hauled down by left-back Quinn.

Booked in the first half, referee Ryan had little option but to show
the United defender his second yellow of the afternoon and reduce
the home side to 10 men.

Blades skipper Page led the protests - prompting the next yellow
card after saying too much to the official.

United's afternoon did not get any better when centre-half Yates
pulled up sharply with what appeared to be a hamstring strain which
forced Warnock into his second change of the afternoon as Yates
hobbled painfully away to be replaced by Colin Cryan.

The question now remained whether Norwich could take full advantage
of Sheffield's woes or whether, as has happened all too often in the
past Norwich themselves would fall victim to a sucker blow delivered
by a 10-man Blades side.

The answer arrived a minute later when McVeigh's 14th goal of the
season broke the deadlock.

Holt swept the ball across the edge of the penalty area where it
curled away to the waiting McVeigh. One touch took the ball up, away
and over Montgomery enabling McVeigh to motor into the middle of the
United box where his low, 12-yard drive took a deflection off a
covering Blades defender en route to falling inside Kenny's right-
hand upright.

By now United boss Warnock was at boiling point with the referee as
he adjudged a half a dozen decisions, appeared in his eyes, to be
going against the home side.

Ndlovu became the fourth United player in the book in the 75th
minute when he clattered into Drury down by the corner flag.

One thing was becoming increasingly obvious as a bad tempered United
side began to lose their cool - referee Ryan would not be receiving
too many Christmas cards from South Yorkshire with Warnock in
particular looking ready to explode on the touchline.

Warnock's last throw of the dice arrived eight minutes from time as
newly-signed Wednesday youngster Owen Morrison replaced McCall.

As one of the very few players to make the leap across the big
divide his arrival at Bramall Lane caused something of a stir but at
this stage of proceedings United fans would, no doubt, take a point
even if it was scored by an ex-Wednesdayite.

On 83 minutes Norwich almost wrapped up the game entirely when a
combination of McVeigh and Healy allowed Nedergaard to unleash
another fierce drive which prompted another excellent save from
Kenny.

That proved to be Healy's last act as Worthington opted to make his
first change of the afternoon with youngster Ian Henderson replacing
the on-loan Preston man.

Brown continued to prove United's best hope of a way back as he
drove forward five minutes from the end only for Green to
comfortably collect his low shot.

With barely two minutes left Norwich had to survive an almighty
scare when referee Ryan awarded a free-kick little more than five-
yards outside the City box.

With everyone retreating to form a wall United opted to take it
quickly enabling Ndlovu to steal in and around Drury only to blast
his shot high over Green's bar.

The drama was far from over as far as the red cards were concerned
when Ndlovu scythed down Easton hard on the touchline and referee
Ryan had little hesitation in reaching for Ndlovu's second yellow
card - United's second red card of the afternoon as the home side
were reduced to nine men.

With the fourth official announcing there would be five minutes of
injury time Norwich's job was far from done, however, and they would
need to keep their heads if the game was to be theirs.

There was still time for one final booking this time for Henderson
as he scythed down Kozluk away by a distant corner flag as Norwich
continued to try and play the clock down.

With the police busily congregating by the tunnel in time for the
final whistle and the undoubted need to give the referee a degree of
protection as he left the field it was building up to a dramatic
final finale in which tempers may be further frayed.

Result: Sheffield United 0, Norwich City 1

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