MATCH OF THE DAY: CARLISLE 0, NORWICH 1

Hoolahan hits the net

By Mark Haley, 16/10/2009

WES HOOLAHAN blasted Norwich into the top six.

The Canaries midfield ace, 27, cashed in on a comedy of errors in the Carlisle defence to send the hosts crashing to their sixth straight league loss with a 42nd-minute winner.

And Canaries boss Paul Lambert said: "The whole team were excellent but I'm not going to get carried away, you win nothing in October.

"It's a good result for the club. We lost a manager and there was much uncertainty at the start of the season so it's great to give the fans something good."

But Carlisle chief Greg Abbott was furious after yet another hard-working display reaped no reward.

He said: "It's another frustrating day. The crowd clap us off and I know we're doing something right but we've lost and we're sliding down the table. Norwich are a big club but we gave them too much respect and, as for their goal, that was horrible.

"It was a horrible cross to start with. Then it was missed by one player, then missed by two and the ball ends up in the back of the net.

"I've told the players to take satisfaction from their performances but we need to get a win quickly."

Norwich defender Adam Drury had double delight. He only made it to the dressing room just before kick-off after his wife gave birth to a baby girl late last night.

And the jet-lagged full-back almost got on the scoresheet after nicking the ball off keeper Lenny Pidgeley but he could only hit the side-netting.

Drury said: "It's been hectic. We needed a second goal to kill the game but we weathered the storm to win."

Brunton Park welcomed Carlisle-born Canaries skipper Grant Holt and the Cumbrian was a constant thorn in the side of the home defence. Carlisle had Tom Taiwo to thank for stopping Holt from scoring when the on-loan Chelsea player made a crucial block as the striker looked to pull the trigger.

Norwich did not have it all their own way.

Ian Harte had two attempts to stab home Matt Robson's corner but could not make them count.

And Scott Dobie and Robson carved open the Canaries only for Jen Berthel Askou to make the block.

Carlisle came closest when Harte skimmed the bar with a 20-yard free-kick that had Fraser Forster floundering.

Then a brilliant Dobie turn and ferocious finish lashed the side-netting.

And Forster saved Norwich in the dying seconds, slinging himself at a Marc Bridge-Wilkinson volley to deny Carlisle a share of the points.

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