Too Easy

Paulton Rovers 0-7 Norwich City


MANY FOOTBALL fans will dismiss this victory as Norwich defeating an extremely poor side, but how many 7-0 wins do you see in the FA Cup? Not many.

Paulton Rovers started off well and took the game to their more illustrious opponents. Striker Rob Claridge-very much in the same mould as namesake Steve- put himself about well, and had a header blocked on the line by Michael Nelson. James Tyrell also had an effort tipped over the crossbar by England under 19 goalkeeper Declan Rudd. At this point in the match it looked very much like my nightmares could come true, and Paulton were going to achieve the unthinkable.

Then the non-leaguers commited the cardinal sin, they left THE GROLT unmarked at the far post. Holt heading in from a Korey Smith cross. Phew! Eight minutes later it was 2-0, in form Chris Martin slotted home from Hoolahan's inch perfect pass. With three minutes to go till the break, THE GROLT was again left unmarked and the former Shrewsbury man headed the game out of the Bristol side's reach.

Paulton improved in the second half and stopped the scoring untill the 73rd minute when Wes Hoolahan lashed into the top corner, to grab himself a deserved goal. Chris Martin then stole the show, adding three more before full-time. Martin tapped home from Cody McDonald's cross, curled in a free-kick and headed home from Jens Berthel Askou's cross to complete the rout.

Paulton Rovers did look extremely average, so this victory is not much to get excited about. But it will be a hell of a long time before I see Norwich score seven again. AND hey it was a nice change to see the BBC vidiprinter spell out our goals in letters for a change. Kick if off!

Mark of Champions

STOCKPORT 1-3 NORWICH CITY

AN OLD footballing cliche is that Champions can win when they are not playing their best, and this is exactly what my team in yellow and green did at Edgeley Park. Having missed the first half due to blue and white ticket based confusion. I arrived just as the half-time whistle went, with Norwich 1-0 to the good. A GROLT header, following a mistake from Stockport keeper Owain Fon-Williams.

This game was never going to be a classic. All head tennis and late challenges. Stockport played right into our hands launching high balls down the middle, which was food and drink for THE DOC, and the man mountain that is Jens Berthel-Askou. We were soon 2-0 up, Chris Martin taking a private bungee jump at Paul Huntingdon's expense, and giving us a Penalty. Which Wesley gratefully slotted home, then decided he fancied a booking and dived headlong into the away fans.

It was comfortable, this is the first away game I had ever been to that was comfortable. But as any Norwich fan knows, for us to win easily without giving the fans a little scare is impossible. So no one was really shocked when Carl Baker's effort deflected in off Peter Thompson, who was blatantly in an offside position. The nerves started jangling again.

There were a few hairy moments, but when Coby 'roadrunner' McDonald robbed 'Man of the Match' Michael Rose, and squared it to THE GROLT, who does not miss from six yards with no goalkeeper, the points were safe.

Thanks to wins from Carlisle and Millwall, Norwich have moved up to within four point of the top two.

The Lambo bandwagon rolls on.