A depleted Newcastle side lost for the third time in four games after Steve Morison and two Grant Holt goals secured a priceless win for Norwich at Carrow Road.
The injury-ridden Magpies struggled to contain the Canaries bruising front two as they both grabbed a the goals to inflict consecutive defeats on Alan Pardew’s side for the first time this season. Newcastle were without captain Fabricio Coloccini and defensive partner Steven Taylor for the trip to Norfolk and how they were missed with makeshift centre backs James Perch and Danny Simpson both unable to deal with Norwich’s aerial strength from set pieces. Paul Lambert, on the other hand, will be delighted that his side bounced back with aplomb after they were thrashed away at Manchester City last week. This win moved them back into the top half just two places below the visitors who now lie seventh after their fourth game without victory with Dan Gosling sent off for the visitors.
It was always going to be tough for Newcastle as they came into the game without their two recognised centre backs with this the first time Pardew has started without the back four that became the cornerstone of their early season success. The home side’s game plan was evident from the first whistle with Lambert urging his side to get the ball out wide and then into the box. It worked to great effect as Norwich took the lead six minutes before half time with Wes Hoolahan scrambling the ball over the line following Andrew Crofts’ corner. However they couldn’t hold onto that lead with the away side equalising in first half injury time though Demba Ba. The Senegalese striker superbly controlled Yohan Cabaye’s elegant dink over the Canaries back four before finishing superbly past John Ruddy.
That gave the Magpies the imputes going into the second period with Ba flashing one over the crossbar but they couldn’t make it count as Norwich raced into a 3-1 lead courtesy of goals from Holt and Morison. Firstly Holt headed home at the second opportunity after Tim Krul saved his initial effort on 59 minutes before Morison angled a superb header past the Dutch keeper four minutes later to put Norwich on course for three points. The away side were then reduced to 10-men with Gosling given his marching orders for a late challenge Russell Martin. However that seemed to spur Newcastle forward and Ba scored once again to make 11 in 10 games in a black and white shirt latching onto Shola Ameobi’s through ball before wrong footing Zak Whitbread and firing past Ruddy. Hopes of a dramatic comeback were dashed though as Holt nodded in the clincher eight minutes from time as the Magpies extended their winless run at Carrow Road.
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