Filed under: Bolton, Norwich, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Two goals in the space of five first-half minutes secured Norwich a first top flight away victory in 17 years to pile the pressure on Bolton manager Owen Coyle.Close-range finishes from Anthony Pilkington and Bradley Johnson proved too much for the 10-man Trotters, who had forward Ivan Klasnic sent off before the break.
It wasn't all plain sailing for Paul Lambert's newly-promoted side.
The Canaries' penalty curse struck again, as they conceded a fifth penalty in as many games to see Martin Petrov reduce the deficit from the spot.
But they hung on comfortably enough to make it nine defeats in the last 10 Premier League games for Bolton, who they leap-frog in the table thanks to a first win of the campaign.
THE GOALS
37 mins: Pilkington stabs the ball home from a yard via Jussi Jaakelainen and Tuncay on the line as Bolton fail to deal with a David Fox corner. (0-1)
42 mins: Johnson easily out-jumps a static Dedryck Boyata to head the second from a Fox free-kick. (0-2)
64 mins: Petrov halves the arrears from the penalty spot - the fifth conceded by Norwich this season - after Leon Barnett's foul on substitute David Ngog. (1-2)
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
7 mins: Jaaskelainen tips over a shot from Elliott Bennett.
9 mins: Jaaskelainen blocks a Steve Morison shot after the forward was flagged offside, only for referee Howard Webb to wave play on.
33 mins: John Ruddy's fingertips divert Petrov's cross to safety, denying an unmarked Kevin Davies a free header on an unguarded net.
45 mins: Klasnic sees red for a headbutt on Marc Tierney which the defender made rather a meal of.
69 mins: Morison comes within inches of restoring the two-goal advantage with a shot on the turn after beating Zat Knight.
90 mins: Ruddy produces fingertip save to deny Ngog's header.
WHAT IT MEANS:
Joy for Norwich with a first top flight victory on the road in 33 attempts spanning 17 years. Bolton slide ever nearer to danger. They've now shipped 13 goals in four straight league defeats since the opening day victory at QPR.
REACTION
Coyle refused to make excuses following a damaging defeat:
"We might have been a bit unlucky not to get a draw but that's getting away from the point. We had a fantastic home record last season but we've come unstuck.
"It might have been different but for their keeper making a fantastic late save.
"To concede the goals from two set plays isn't good enough. There's got to be some sort of challenge on the ball and we've not done well enough in that department.
"We're all designated players to mark. It was a very disappointing day and we need to do much better from start to finish."
On concerns about the current run:
"I'm disappointed to lose at home. We always knew we were going to have a hard start to the season but that's the case for teams up and down the country.
"My concern is us conceding soft goals. These were self-inflicted but even at two down I thought we had a chance, we could get them in at half-time and get the lads sorted."
On the sending off:
"It was an act of folly from Ivan. We all know the rules whether there's contact or not. I'd need to see it back but there's always a chance to receive a red card for putting your head in like that.
"It gave us a mountain to climb but we stuck at it and battled away and the boy has produced a wonder save to deny us late on."
Lambert felt his side were good value for their rare top flight away victory.
"We played very well and deserved to win. I'm delighted with the lads."
On breaking that long away duck:
"It's never really bothered me and I've always had confidence in them. It's testament to the lads the way they play the game.
"I wasn't here back in 1994 so it's a record that's never really bothered me to be honest. I don't take a lot of notice of things like that."
On making six changes:
"Every decision you make is hard. I try to pick a team to win a game and to do the best for the football club. I explained them to the lads, they know exactly why I do it and to be fair to them they've been brilliant.
"The lads who came in I expected them to perform, that's how much faith and trust I have in them. I took a couple of lads out of the firing line as well."
On conceding their latest penalty:
"I think it was a penalty, I've seen it again and it looks like a penalty but it's something we can't keep doing."
On the sending off:
"He's head-butted him and the laws of the game are such that if you stick your head in then it gives the referee an easy decision to make."
On the struggle against 10 men:
"The onus is always on the home team and in any case this is always a hard place to come. We expected Bolton to come out in the second half and give us everything they had.
"We were comfortable until the penalty. Until that point we were comfortable but once it went in we were on the back foot for 10 minutes but we stuck at it well."
On victories for all three promoted teams:
"The three teams that came up are very good and are more than capable of trying to hold their own. We've all earned the right to play at this level and environment."
On the Norwich fans:
"They've been brilliant since I arrived here, right from League one and they always make it a great occasion for us by turning up in their numbers."
On Coyle's predicament:
"They've played Liverpool and both Manchester sides. What he's done here has been fantastic. It's a really tough, tough place to come and he's done brilliantly here with Bolton."
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/09/17/bolton-1-norwich-2-rare-canaries-away-win-piles-pressure-on-ow/
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