An absorbing contest produced end-to-end attacking, four goals and no shortage of entertainment, although for Mick McCarthy and Wolverhampton Wanderers this felt like another opportunity missed. There were wild celebrations on the touchline in stoppage time when Steven Fletcher converted Matt Jarvis's cross but McCarthy spotted before anyone else that the official on the far side had raised his flag. The decision was correct and Wolves were left to reflect on yet more dropped points at home.
Norwich, in truth, deserved a draw and must have felt like they were going to go away with all three points when Simeon Jackson scored only seconds after coming off the bench. Ronald Zubar, however, climbed above Russell Martin to head home Nenad Milijas's corner moments later to earn a draw for Wolves, who had gone behind to Andrew Surman's fine opener on a tense night at Molineux. There was still time for Wolves to win it after Fletcher's goal was ruled out for offside but Stephen Ward headed straight at John Ruddy. A smattering of boos greeted the final whistle, with a tough festive period lying ahead for Wolves.
The anxiety among the home supporters was tangible from the outset. Wolves had won only two out of their previous 14 Premier League matches and with three of their next four fixtures against Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, it was understandable that this game had taken on extra significance. Norwich, however, started as if they sensed this was a chance to exploit Wolves' fragility, and duly took the lead inside 12 minutes, when Surman gloriously nodded the visitors in front.
It was a header at the end of a move that Surman had started when he dinked the ball over the top of a static Wolves defence. Steve Morison, who had drawn a fingertip save from Wayne Hennessey moments earlier, wisely stopped in his tracks to remain onside, leaving Wes Hoolahan in the clear. The Irishman delivered the perfect centre from the left, picking out the run of Surman, who met the ball with a flying header that was never going to end up anywhere other than the back of the net.The irony will not have been lost on McCarthy. Surman left Wolves for Norwich the summer before last, after an underwhelming 12 months at Molineux when the winger struggled to get into the team, never mind score a goal.
Yet within two minutes of grabbing his first of the season for Norwich, he was causing consternation in the Wolves defence again, his header from Andrews Crofts's centre appearing to strike Zubar on the arm. Chris Foy, the referee, deemed the contact accidental and he may well have been right. Wolves looked nervous and the concession of an early goal ensured that misplaced passes were greeted with sighs of exasperation from the stands. Stephen Hunt hardly helped the mood when he squandered a great chance to bring Wolves level in the 24th minute. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was the provider, the striker crossing from the left only for Hunt to lift the ball over the bar from no more than eight yards.
Ebanks-Blake was not so generous when the roles were reversed eight minutes before the interval. Stephen Ward swapped passes with Matt Jarvis on the left flank, where Wolves carried the greatest threat, before providing a centre that Hunt met first time. Martin managed to block Hunt's effort but it dropped invitingly for Ebanks-Blake, who turned it home on the half-volley, to justify McCarthy's decision to pick him ahead of the dropped Kevin Doyle.
Although Ebanks-Blake's goal visibly lifted Wolves, Norwich continued to look dangerous whenever they broke. Grant Holt, who was making his 100th league appearance for Norwich, should have done better when he shot tamely at Hennessey after Morison's fine nod down, and five minutes later Surman forced the Wolves keeper into a full-stretch save with a curling left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area. On another occasion, Zubar timed his challenge superbly to halt Morison's progress. Wolves were at least passing the ball with more purpose, although clear chances remained at a premium. Ebanks-Blake had one of them but his free header from Jarvis's excellent cross in the 72nd minute lacked conviction. The same could be said for Jackson's finish but all that mattered to Norwich was that the substitute turned in the centre for Morison, who not for the first time went past Roger Johnson with embarrassing ease. McCarthy was desperate and threw Doyle into the fray but it was Zubar who hauled Wolves level, heading powerfully past Ruddy.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/20/wolverhampton-wanderers-norwich-city-premier-league
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