Lambert chuffed after a battling three points - just don't mention the pitch...

Sun 1 Nov 09

City boss Paul Lambert admitted that Barcelona would have struggled on the Edgeley Park pitch yesterday, after City battled and scrapped their way to three points at Stockport.

The 3-1 success wasn't the prettiest and you could argue that the playing surface – which staged a Sale Sharks rugby union match on Friday night – was to blame.

But this Canary outfit are made of stern stuff – and they weren't about to let a few bobbles get in the way of another three-point haul.

And the victory, after a Grant Holt brace and Wes Hoolahan penalty, means the Norfolk club are now only four points off second placed Charlton.

"You see the state of the pitch and it's not the greatest due to the rugby last night, but they were great, battling away," said Lambert, speaking to the press afterwards.

"You've got to play the pitch first and foremost but all credit to the lads. I'm delighted with the win because it's not an easy place to come.

"We played some good football at times but sometimes you've got to battle away and earn the right and we did that.

"But you're never going to play well on that pitch, Barcelona would come and struggle on that the way it is."

Holt's first half header, after Simon Lappin's delivery slipped through the goalkeeper's hands, gave the Canaries – backed by 1,250 travelling fans – a deserved lead.

But County came back into it after the break and even though Hoolahan's penalty gave Norwich a two-goal cushion, a deflected Carl Baker effort made for a tense few minutes.

"Oh yes it was nervy, there is no doubt about it. When a team gets a goal back that late on then the crowd are galvanised and you've got to hang on.   Part 2 >>