As I approached the Main Stand turnstiles, I pulled out what I thought was a ticket for the game against Norwich and handed it to the steward. It transpired that it was my ticket for the Carling Cup tie against Torquay United. I decided to head for the ticket office to get a replacement and had I known what lay ahead,I would have quite willingly carried on walking home,as City and Norwich carved out a bore draw at Highfield Road. Thankfully, I found the correct ticket and made my way in to a Highfield Road stadium swathed in bright sun-light to discover that City were starting with only one striker in Gary McSheffrey and packing the midfield with Stephen Hughes replacing Eddy Johnson in that only change to the team that started the first half in the midweek 2-2 draw at Notts County.
Against a Norwich side that was without the injured Darren Huckerby and Youseff Safri but included former Sky Blue Marc Edworthy at right back, City let the visitors have the first effort. It came in the third minute when Damien Francis, who reminded me of Kevin Francis thanks to his lanky and gangly manner, blasted high and wide over Scott Shearer's bar. Two minutes later, what looked close to being a rugby tackle by Davenport on former Wimbledon player Francis,gave Norwich a free kick some 25 yards out. Mattias Svensson took the kick and curled it onto an empty West Terrace.
It was another two more minutes before City got to grips with last season's Division One winners and Graham Barrett did well on the left to get in a looping shot from thirty yards that was not that far wide of the goal.
With Sherwood bossing the midfield,a move down the right saw the ball knocked down by McSheffrey into the path of the industrious Michael Doyle, who drove a left footed effort over the bar from twenty yards.
It was not until the 11th minute that either keeper had to touch the ball and it was Robert Green who got down to save a low McSheffrey shot. McSheffrey was involved in a good move in the 19th minute when he found Doyle who passed for Barrett for fire high and wide.
One Norwich player that I would have liked at Highfield Road is David Bentley and the striker who is on loan from Arsenal turned in the 25th minute to fire just over the bar from 25 yards. City won a free kick in the 34th minute and Bjarni Gudjonsson swung in a ball which bounced off Barrett's head and fell for McSheffrey to nod over the bar. Gudjonsson delivered another cross two minutes later which Doyle got on the end of and the Irish international sent his header just over the bar.
Tim Sherwood throughout his career has acquired a reputation of being a tough tackler and seconds after Doyle's effort, he clattered Leon McKenzie to give Norwich a free kick which was easily dealt with. A Coventry free kick followed with a poor effort by Hughes easily being collected by Green in the Norwich goal.
Five minutes before the break,a foul on Bentley gave Norwich a free kick which saw Paul McVeigh push the ball forward to McKenzie to head wide. On the stroke of half-time,a mistake by Staunton led to Norwich getting a corner but Shearer rose unmarked to gather the ball and keep the scores level at the break. Andy Whing replaced Calum Davenport at centre half whilst Norwich boss Nigel Worthington used six substitutions as the match moved into the second half.
Like the start of the game,Norwich attacked first with Francis driving the ball across the penalty after being allowed space by Staunton, five minutes in. A minute later, City won a fortunate corner after a terrible cross by Staunton hit the unaware Francis and bounced out for a corner. Gudjonsson took the kick and sent the ball to the far post where Green saved Whing's header. In the 54th minute,Ian Henderson flattened Barrett,giving City a free kick on the left side in front of the Main Stand. Barrett took the kick,finding McSheffrey who knocked the ball down for Stephen Hughes to curl the ball wide from twelve yards.
Graham Barrett was looking lively on the left and he was involved in some good work in the 58th minute with McSheffrey which allowed Hughes to prod a twelve yarder into the arms of Green. Bentley was giving Louis Carey a torrid time and I was losing count of the number of times, the new boy from Bristol City was conceding possession and undermining the good work Richard Shaw was doing in marshalling the defence.
In the 59th minute,Bentley turned past a static Carey and drilled a shot which Shearer dived to pounce on.
Another chance for Norwich followed straight after,when the visitors were given a free kick on the edge of the area. Northern Irishman Phil Mulryne took the kick and curled the ball just past Shearer's left hand post.
Now having seen all of City's pre-season matches,I have deduced that when it comes to substitutes that Peter Reid is a sixty and seventy five minute man. And sure enough,just past the hour mark. two changes were made with Patrick Suffo replacing Gary McSheffrey and Andy Morrell coming on for Bjarni Gudjonsson.
Initially,the two sparked a bit of life into the game with a Suffo cross being met by the diving Andy Morrell. Unfortunately,there was no repeat of that Keith Houchen header and Green was able to make a save and then another from a Barrett effort.
Barrett was certainly giving it a go and in the 64th minute,the Irish international who said afterwards that it was incredibly hot down on the pitch,won a corner which he took. Unfortunately with City have no players of any substantial height on the pitch,the kick went straight over everyone's heads and out for a throw-in on the Sky Blue stand where the 250+ Norwich supporters were housed.
Stephen Hughes was fouled by a Mulryne tackle and a free kick fell for Suffo to hit a shot which was deflected out for a corner. Hughes took the kick but Green was equal to it and punched the ball well out of the penalty area.
This punch of which Coventry boxer Steve Bendall would have been proud of,allowed Norwich to break and with Carey beaten for pace,the ball was sent over for the Canaries youngest ever player Ryan Jarvis to head wide.
With twenty minutes left,Mattias Svensson was allowed plenty of space to turn and get in a shot which Shearer got down to save. Now the referee who was announced as Kevin Friend by the stadium announcer (Neale Barry was the name in the programme) had been letting the game flow but in the 71st minute,the referee annoyed many in a crowd of around 7,000 when he completely missed a bad elbow by Malky McKay in the face of Andy Morrell and ordered a goal kick as the ball had gone out of play.
With the game now in the 75th minute, my prediction of another Reid substitution came to fruition when Neil Wood replaced Tim Sherwood. Norwich did the same with Svensson being replaced by Zema Abbey.
Despite the Norwich supporters trying to encourage Delia's darlings with their club song of "On The Ball City" - a ditty which dates back to the 1930's and includes the words "Have a little scrimmage", it was the Sky Blues who were looking the stronger.
Stephen Hughes was replaced by Claus Jorgensen,just after Suffo had toe-poked a ball from Wood wide. With seven minutes left,Suffo played in Barrett for a shot which was deflected for a corner. The corner was wasted but Staunton retrieved the ball and spotted Barrett down the left wing. The former Brighton and Colchester loanee showed a bit of skill to jink his way past his marker before hitting a right footed effort which Green caught.
City attacked once more through Staunton who delivered a long ball,Patrick Suffo raced after it ,fell over but with Green now on the floor and helpless,the Cameroonian managed to hook the ball towards the goal. Across came a Norwich defender and the danger was cleared.
Shearer saved at the other end from Jarvis and cleared upfield to Barrett who, not for the first time, was brought down. Jorgensen took the kick,it was half cleared and played back to him. The Dane banged the ball back in only for it to be headed away.
The final whistle followed shortly after a drew some polite applause and plenty of moans from the City supporters who were clearly not impressed by this performance.
HT CCFC 0-0 NCFC FT CCFC 0-0 NCFC
Att 7,000 estimated
Goals - if only
Man Of The Match - Graham Barrett.
TEAM
Shearer,Carey,Staunton,Gudjonsson (Morrell 61),Davenport (Whing 46),Shaw,Doyle, Sherwood (Wood 74),Hughes (Jorgensen 81), McSheffrey (Suffo 61),Barrett SNU Marriott,Pead,Giddings