Manchester City 1 - 1 Norwich City

Man City 1-1 Norwich

Updated: November 1, 2004, 10:25 PM UK

For the second Barclays Premiership game on the trot Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan was left cursing a referee after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Norwich.

• 'A draw the right result'

Eight days after his blistering attack on Steve Dunn, Keegan was seething at Steve Bennett's failure to penalise Norwich skipper Craig Fleming, who clearly turned Robbie Fowler's goalbound shot off the line with his arm five minutes from time.

If that was not bad enough, Bennett also took no action when Simon Charlton chopped down Nicolas Anelka inside the box on City's next attack.

It was a frustrating end to an otherwise decent display from the hosts, and in particular 19-year-old Premiership debutant Willo Flood, who capped an outstanding display by firing his side into a 10th-minute lead, albeit thanks to a woeful blunder by City goalkeeper Robert Green.

Damien Francis levelled within 15 seconds of the restart and while City pressed for a winner, their luck deserted them, allowing Norwich to pick up the point that sees them leapfrog above Blackburn and off the bottom of the table.

Keegan had spent the best part of 18 months trying to solve the conundrum about who to play up front with Anelka without ever getting firm proof that he had got it right.

Fowler, Jon Macken and Paulo Wanchope have all been tried with very limited success, so, convinced by Flood over the last few weeks that moving Shaun Wright-Phillips out of his favoured right midfield slot would not have the devastating impact most would imagine, he opted to pair his two quickest forwards together and try to undo Norwich with pure pace.

Sat in the stand, reflecting on his side's disastrous trip to Portsmouth and looking ahead to Sunday's first all-Mancunian set-to of the campaign, Sir Alex Ferguson must have been impressed by the outcome.

City may not have profited to the extent they would have liked but Wright-Phillips and Anelka certainly kept Norwich on the back foot, while Flood's direct running saw him emerge as the undisputed man of the match.

The young Dubliner marked his first senior start with a Carling Cup goal against Barnsley six weeks ago, so he clearly has an eye for the target, although there is little doubt Green will shoulder the bulk of the responsibility for his well-struck volley ending up in the Norwich net after it inexplicably squirmed through his arms.

Coming off the back of successive defeats to Newcastle and what Keegan dubbed an Arsenal third team, an early goal was just what the hosts needed and with Wright-Phillips and Anelka in full flow, it should have been more by the interval.

Green saved well from Anelka, Flood and Wright-Phillips twice as the Blues roared forward, while on a couple of other occasions, it was only the final ball that cost the hosts a clear chance.

The Norwich attack had not been entirely muted but the visitors looked low on confidence and as Keegan delivered his half-time words of wisdom, he could not have anticipated the lightening start Norwich would make to the second period.

Danny Mills should really have cut out Jim Brennan's long punt to the edge of the City area but having failed to do so, it left Richard Dunne to battle for possession with Matt Svensson.

Dunne actually won it but succeeded only in toeing the ball straight into the path of on-rushing Francis, who gleefully steered a first-time shot past a previously under-worked David James.

The goal galvanised Norwich into action and for a while they got on top. But they lack the composure and ability of a true top flight side and the pressure the Canaries managed to exert was more through hard work and persistence than any real skill.

In contrast, City continued to weave pretty patterns but, much to Keegan's frustration, the goal would not come.

The closest they came was when Flood raced onto Wright-Phillips' sublime return pass and smashed a shot off the inside of a post with Green totally beaten.

After that though came the late decisions from Bennett that will leave Keegan so aggrieved.

'A draw the right result'

Willo Flood and Simon Charlton were in agreement that the draw was a fair result after tonight's match between Manchester City and Norwich.

Norwich clambered off the foot of the Premiership table but remain without a top flight win after the 1-1 draw at Eastlands.

Damien Francis struck just 15 seconds into the second half to earn the Canaries a precious point after Flood had capped an outstanding first league start by firing City into an early lead.

Charlton said: 'I thought we started off well but did our old trick of conceding a sloppy goal.

'But we showed our spirit and got a quick goal at the start of the second half - so overall I think a draw was a fair result.

'We needed three points but in the big scheme of things I think it's a good away point.

'Hopefully next week we'll produce that magic win.'

Flood added on Sky Sports: 'We should have been two or three up at half-time - but a draw was probably a fair result.'

Norwich boss Nigel Worthington said: 'We didn't start too bad.

'The goal knocked us back but we've got lots of guts and character and great credit to the players for fighting their way back into it.

'We're trying hard and as long as we do the things we're doing and put that cutting edge to our play the results will come.'

Worthington was reluctant to blame goalkeeper Robert Green for his part in the goal which gave City the lead.

He continued: 'From my point of view Robert has saved us on many occasions and the biggest thing is how he recovered from the goal tonight - and after it he was first class.'

Eight days after his blistering attack on Steve Dunn, City boss Kevin Keegan was seething at Steve Bennett's failure to penalise Norwich skipper Craig Fleming, who clearly turned Robbie Fowler's goalbound shot off the line with his arm five minutes from time.

If that was not bad enough, Bennett also took no action when Simon Charlton chopped down Nicolas Anelka inside the box on City's next attack.

And Worthington admitted: 'If it had been given I don't think we'd have had any complaints.

'But that might be one of the things that helps us turn the corner and get three points.'

Blackburn - now bottom of the table - are the visitors to Carrow Road on Saturday.

And Worthington added: 'It's a big game for both clubs.

'We're at home and all we can do is carry on the good work we're doing and hopefully the goals will come.

'The belief and quality is there and although there are no easy victories in the Premiership, we'll battle right to the end.'