Canaries continue Wednesday's Carrow Road woe

Former Wednesday boy Nigel Worthington's Norwich City side recorded their third league win in four games in beating the Owls 2-0 to boost themselves into the top five, whilst leave Peter Shreeves' side knowing they have a lot of hard work to do if they are to achieve anything this season. Wednesday's inconsistent start to the season continues, after only managing a draw at home to West Brom last weekend.

The bank holiday weekend meant two games in as many days for teams around the country, but at least now the Owls can look forward to a bit of a break with the game at home to Preston North End having been postponed due to international fixtures that weekend. Wednesday's performance was flat and lifeless, and the home side fully deserved their win.

However, nothing must be taken away from the Canaries, who have been put right up their with the best by Peter Shreeves as possibly contenders for promotion this season. Shreeves sent out a familiar looking Owls line-up, and decided to included both Ian Hendon and Gerald Sibon despite both having picked up niggling injuries two days previous. Both were to be subbed at half-time, but should be fine for Wednesday's next match away to Birmingham in over a week's time.

Alan Quinn, guilty of missing a good chance to score against West Brom last Saturday, again failed in front of goal, as the first chance of the game came as early as the fifth minute. His one-two with Efan Ekoku set him up nicely, but the young Irishman's shot was weak and too easy for Robert Green in the Norwich goal. Minutes later it was Norwich who should have taken the lead. Zema Abbey's header was brilliantly stopped by Derek Geary on the goal line, and from the rebound Kevin Pressman reacted quickly to deny Gary Holt.

Abbey again proved dangerous in the air from set-pieces, this time in the 11th minute his flick on was well stopped by Pressman. In the 21st minute there was another scare for the away side, as Paul McVeigh beat Ian Hendon on the wing before firing in a low cross. Luckily for the Owls Iwan Roberts couldn't quite make it in time and the chance had gone.

In the 27th minute there was an early substitution - of referees that is. Referee Lampard pulled a muscle and limped off, the replacement official getting an unexpected call-up into the game. Nine minutes later Norwich finally broke the deadlock. Paul McVeigh, who was to prove a constant menace to the visitors, wasn't stopped by the Owls defence as he chested the ball down before lobbing it to the back post. Wednesday defenders were running around in circles and had left Welshman Iwan Roberts unmarked, his header beat Pressman as the ball sailed into the net.

Half-time: Norwich 1-0 Owls

Ashley Westwood was to make his first appearance of the season, as he came on for the injured Ian Hendon at the break. Gerald Sibon, also suffering from a knock, came off for Pablo Bonvin. The Argentinian is yet to make a first team start, but that didn't stop him from making an impact in the 25 odd minutes he was on the field.

In the 54th minute the Canaries felt they should have been awarded a penalty. From an attacking free-kick the ball was claimed to have struck the arm of Wednesday defender Danny Maddix. The referee saw nothing, and play continued. Wednesday's genuine chances in front of goal were few and far between, but the in 63rd minute Pablo Bonvin's left footed drive was well saved by Green. Efan Ekoku's rebound effort was also saved.

You could sense at 1-0 down there was still a chance that the Owls could leave Carrow Road with some sort of result, but in the 69th minute there was further proof that it just wouldn't be Wednesday's day. Pablo Bonvin's 25 yard free-kick was the closest the Owls came to a goal in the second half, but the Argentinian's effort clipped the crossbar and flew over the bar.

The 74th minute was the deciding one for this encounter. At one end the Owls were screaming for a penalty, as Malky Mackay was accused of having handled the ball. As with Norwich's appeal earlier on in the game, the referee waved play on. The Canaries delt the killer blow, going on from that penalty appeal to score at the other end. Steen Nedergaard sent the dangerous Paul McVeigh in the clear, as Wednesday defenders desperately tried to get back to defend. McVeigh kept his cool to bury the ball home with his left foot, the ball skidding past the lunging arm of Kevin Pressman.

Goalscorer's Roberts and McVeigh combined to set up exciting French forward Marc Libbra, but the former Toulouse man was denied a goal infront of the home crowd by the brilliance of Wednesday's player of the day in Kevin Pressman.

The Carrow Road faithful left the ground the happier of the two sets of fans, as Nigel Worthington's men gave further evidence they should be taken as a serious title contender for this season. Peter Shreeves now has a 12 day break before his side travel to the midlands to face yet another former Wednesday old boy in Trevor Francis and his Birmingham City side.