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Played
December 20, 2011 7:45 PM GMT
Molineux Stadium — Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Referee: C. Foy
Attendance: 27067
December 20, 2011 7:45 PM GMT
Molineux Stadium — Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Referee: C. Foy
Attendance: 27067
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| Wolves | 2.05 | 6.00 | 2.05 | 8.50 | 2.00 | 13.00 | 2.04 | 2.10 |
| Draw | 3.40 | 1.18 | 3.40 | 1.17 | 3.50 | 1.01 | 3.60 | 3.40 |
| Norwich City | 3.60 | 9.00 | 3.45 | 12.00 | 3.75 | 18.00 | 4.00 | 3.30 |
Top of the Match
Russell Martin
Norwich City
Norwich City
Steve Morison
Norwich City
Norwich City
Flop of the Match
Nenad Milijas
Wolves
Wolves
Roger Johnson
Wolves
Wolves
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Wolves 2-2 Norwich City: Late Ronald Zubar effort rescues point for hosts as topsy-turvy affair eventually ends all square
Visitors 'superior quality and desire goes unrewarded after right-back levels matters late in the day to avoid a third consecutive Premier League defeat for home side
By Matt Monaghan at Molineux
Getty Images
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Norwich City played out a pulsating Premier League draw to warm up a freezing Midlands night.
Ex-Wolves midfielder Andrew Surman opened the scoring with a 12th minute header as the visitors burst into life at the start before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake levelled matters with a scrappy effort.
The storyline repeated in the second half as substitute Simeon Jackson scored an even more fortunate goal, which was equalised by a header from the unmarked Ronald Zubar from a set-piece.
A late strike from Steven Fletcher was ruled out as offside in a result that put Wolves two points away from the relegation zone. Norwich were unable to end a 16-year wait for a victory at Molineux but cemented their comfortable spot in mid-table.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy reiterated his faith before the game in misfiring striker Kevin Doyle, but this wasn't reflected on the teamsheet. In the only change from the 2-1 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday, the Irishman was replaced by Ebanks-Blake.
Key midfielders Jamie O'Hara and David Edwards missed the match with hernia and groin injuries.
Norwich counterpart Paul Lambert stuck with the same side that claimed a 1-1 draw against Everton at the weekend. This decision saw the Scot continue with the battering-ram centre forward pairing of Grant Holt and Steve Morison.
The encounter in the Midlands came too soon for Manchester United loanee Ritchie De Laet who is expected to return to training this week. Long-term absentees, striker James Vaughan and centre-back Elliott Ward, are both still out until after the New Year.
The hosts were denied a fifth minute breakthrough by the heroics of Norwich stalwart Russell Martin. The Scot produced a magnificent block to deny Ebanks-Blake from point-blank range after the hit man had been allowed to chest down a Stephen Hunt cross by the lax Norwich defence.
Woken by the jolt from the near-miss, Norwich began to get their foot on the ball. In the 10th minute, Morison burst past the back-tracking Christophe Berra and forced Wayne Hennessey into a fine low save from a tight angle.
Urged on by manager Lambert's enthusiasm on the touchline, an incisive move saw ex-Wolves bit-part player Surman net against his former side. In typical Norwich style, a deft chipped through ball on the half-way line cut through the static Wolves defence and put Wes Hoolahan in space on the left.
The Irishman produced a cross that was nodded home by Surman after he had left static marker Nenad Milijas in his wake.
Wolves had no answer to the craft of Hoolahan and energy of Morison. The duo combined to cut a temporary chasm in the Wolves rearguard in the 21st minute before Berra managed to snuff out the trouble just as Morison expected a one-on-one against Hennessey.
In a hectic few minutes, both sides then could have found the back of the net. First, Hunt blazed over an open goal from six-yards in the 24th minute after goalkeeper John Ruddy punched an Ebanks-Blake cross into his path.
Norwich burst up the pitch from the resultant goal kick and Morison headed straight at Hennessey when picked out by a deep cross from left-back Marc Tierney.
Norwich continued to look the better side, but the dangerous Ebanks-Blake levelled matters in the 37th minute. In a move reminiscent of the smart wing play that led to Norwich's opener, a perfectly weighted pass by winger Matt Jarvis put charging left-back Stephen Ward into space on the left flank.
His low cross on the slide found Hunt, and after the Irishman's shot deflected off Martin, the grateful centre forward picked up the pieces to scuff past the marooned Ruddy.
For the first time, Wolves now had the wind in their sails. They could even had taken the lead in first half injury-time if right-back Zubar hadn't crossed the ball like an Exocet missile to the back-post hanging Steven Fletcher.
The match continued in the same helter-skelter nature in the second period. Almost from kick-off, Fletcher curled an effort from just outside the box wide of Ruddy's net.
With possession changing hands every minute, Norwich's early supremacy went out the window. Indeed, it took until the hour mark for their first serious effort past the half-time break.
The ever-willing Morison's cross was deflected to Holt. The captain managed to turn and pick out Surman on the edge of the area, but his shot was saved by Ruddy on the stretch.
Wolves' top-scorer Fletcher had seemed happy to let Ebanks-Blake take centre stage before the interval. However, he again went close with an effort from distance that whizzed just over Ruddy's crossbar in the 67th minute.
Norwich now sat back and allowed the clueless Wolves attack possession. Blind alleys were repeatedly explored as the visitors looked to exploit gaps on the counter-attack.
One of these forays forward saw Hoolahan scream for a penalty after his centre deflected off Berra's outstretched hands. Referee Chris Foy brushed aside the protests as he waved play on.
Norwich were again given a glimpse of a breakthrough after pin-ball from a corner saw Martin smash a low shot into Hennessey's pat in the 74th minute.
The momentum was again with the Canaries and a comical first touch from substitute Jackson saw them take the lead. Once more, Morison's selfless runs into the flanks brought reward as his cross found the Canadian in acres of space at the back post.
The replacement tried his best to mess up his opportunity from two-yards, but he luckily managed to stumble the easiest of chances home.
As Lambert celebrated in stereotypically ecstatic fashion, the nagging doubt his side could be pegged back must have reared its head. Just as in the opening 45 minutes, Norwich's lead wasn't to last despite their superiority.
Zubar was the man to raise Molineux to its feet in the 82nd minute as he took advantage of some absent-minded marking from a Milijas corner to level affairs.
Another corner three minutes later created similar havoc, but this time, captain Roger Johnson headed narrowly wide of Ruddy's right post.
A tight offside call on the 90-minute mark saw victory correctly denied for Wolves after Fletcher had strayed centimetres behind the Norwich back line as he attempted to convert a cross.
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Ex-Wolves midfielder Andrew Surman opened the scoring with a 12th minute header as the visitors burst into life at the start before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake levelled matters with a scrappy effort.
The storyline repeated in the second half as substitute Simeon Jackson scored an even more fortunate goal, which was equalised by a header from the unmarked Ronald Zubar from a set-piece.
A late strike from Steven Fletcher was ruled out as offside in a result that put Wolves two points away from the relegation zone. Norwich were unable to end a 16-year wait for a victory at Molineux but cemented their comfortable spot in mid-table.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy reiterated his faith before the game in misfiring striker Kevin Doyle, but this wasn't reflected on the teamsheet. In the only change from the 2-1 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday, the Irishman was replaced by Ebanks-Blake.
Key midfielders Jamie O'Hara and David Edwards missed the match with hernia and groin injuries.
Norwich counterpart Paul Lambert stuck with the same side that claimed a 1-1 draw against Everton at the weekend. This decision saw the Scot continue with the battering-ram centre forward pairing of Grant Holt and Steve Morison.
The encounter in the Midlands came too soon for Manchester United loanee Ritchie De Laet who is expected to return to training this week. Long-term absentees, striker James Vaughan and centre-back Elliott Ward, are both still out until after the New Year.
The hosts were denied a fifth minute breakthrough by the heroics of Norwich stalwart Russell Martin. The Scot produced a magnificent block to deny Ebanks-Blake from point-blank range after the hit man had been allowed to chest down a Stephen Hunt cross by the lax Norwich defence.
Woken by the jolt from the near-miss, Norwich began to get their foot on the ball. In the 10th minute, Morison burst past the back-tracking Christophe Berra and forced Wayne Hennessey into a fine low save from a tight angle.
Urged on by manager Lambert's enthusiasm on the touchline, an incisive move saw ex-Wolves bit-part player Surman net against his former side. In typical Norwich style, a deft chipped through ball on the half-way line cut through the static Wolves defence and put Wes Hoolahan in space on the left.
The Irishman produced a cross that was nodded home by Surman after he had left static marker Nenad Milijas in his wake.
Wolves had no answer to the craft of Hoolahan and energy of Morison. The duo combined to cut a temporary chasm in the Wolves rearguard in the 21st minute before Berra managed to snuff out the trouble just as Morison expected a one-on-one against Hennessey.
In a hectic few minutes, both sides then could have found the back of the net. First, Hunt blazed over an open goal from six-yards in the 24th minute after goalkeeper John Ruddy punched an Ebanks-Blake cross into his path.
Norwich burst up the pitch from the resultant goal kick and Morison headed straight at Hennessey when picked out by a deep cross from left-back Marc Tierney.
Norwich continued to look the better side, but the dangerous Ebanks-Blake levelled matters in the 37th minute. In a move reminiscent of the smart wing play that led to Norwich's opener, a perfectly weighted pass by winger Matt Jarvis put charging left-back Stephen Ward into space on the left flank.
His low cross on the slide found Hunt, and after the Irishman's shot deflected off Martin, the grateful centre forward picked up the pieces to scuff past the marooned Ruddy.
For the first time, Wolves now had the wind in their sails. They could even had taken the lead in first half injury-time if right-back Zubar hadn't crossed the ball like an Exocet missile to the back-post hanging Steven Fletcher.
The match continued in the same helter-skelter nature in the second period. Almost from kick-off, Fletcher curled an effort from just outside the box wide of Ruddy's net.
With possession changing hands every minute, Norwich's early supremacy went out the window. Indeed, it took until the hour mark for their first serious effort past the half-time break.
The ever-willing Morison's cross was deflected to Holt. The captain managed to turn and pick out Surman on the edge of the area, but his shot was saved by Ruddy on the stretch.
Wolves' top-scorer Fletcher had seemed happy to let Ebanks-Blake take centre stage before the interval. However, he again went close with an effort from distance that whizzed just over Ruddy's crossbar in the 67th minute.
Norwich now sat back and allowed the clueless Wolves attack possession. Blind alleys were repeatedly explored as the visitors looked to exploit gaps on the counter-attack.
One of these forays forward saw Hoolahan scream for a penalty after his centre deflected off Berra's outstretched hands. Referee Chris Foy brushed aside the protests as he waved play on.
Norwich were again given a glimpse of a breakthrough after pin-ball from a corner saw Martin smash a low shot into Hennessey's pat in the 74th minute.
The momentum was again with the Canaries and a comical first touch from substitute Jackson saw them take the lead. Once more, Morison's selfless runs into the flanks brought reward as his cross found the Canadian in acres of space at the back post.
The replacement tried his best to mess up his opportunity from two-yards, but he luckily managed to stumble the easiest of chances home.
As Lambert celebrated in stereotypically ecstatic fashion, the nagging doubt his side could be pegged back must have reared its head. Just as in the opening 45 minutes, Norwich's lead wasn't to last despite their superiority.
Zubar was the man to raise Molineux to its feet in the 82nd minute as he took advantage of some absent-minded marking from a Milijas corner to level affairs.
Another corner three minutes later created similar havoc, but this time, captain Roger Johnson headed narrowly wide of Ruddy's right post.
A tight offside call on the 90-minute mark saw victory correctly denied for Wolves after Fletcher had strayed centimetres behind the Norwich back line as he attempted to convert a cross.
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Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match- Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In GMT
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
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Robin van Persie
Striker Arsenal |
30 | 2 |
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Wayne Rooney
Striker Manchester United |
27 | 6 |
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Kun Agüero
Striker Manchester City |
23 | 3 |
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Aiyegbeni Yakubu
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17 | 4 |
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Emmanuel Adebayor
Striker Tottenham |
17 | 3 |
