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Russell backs any Doherty appeal as he admits City were slow out of the blocks

8th February 2009 By Latest News Leave a Comment

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City midfielder Darel Russell shared the thoughts of 25,000 others at Carrow Road after yesterday's 2-1 home defeat by Bristol City.

“Extremely frustrated,” was his simple verdict after a combination of City's all-too soft centre and Andy D'Urso's error-strewn refereeing condemned Bryan Gunn to his first defeat as Canary boss.

Gary Doherty's 44th minute challenge of Dele Adebola proved the game's decisive moment as the Canary skipper saw red. And once Bradley Orr had successfully converted the subsequent spot-kick, then the home side were always faced with a mountain to climb after being left both a goal and a man adrift.

Against a decent Robins side, to be fair. They played with the kind of confidence that comes with six wins from your last seven league outings. And with City's defensive frailties still well to the fore, it was always going to be a tough afternoon at the office as Gunn's flying start to his managerial reign came to an end.

“We've put a lot of hard work in over the last couple of weeks,” said Russell, not hiding from the fact that Norwich remain all too often the architects of their own downfall.

“We made a sloppy mistake to concede one and then getting Doc [Doherty] sent off has kind of killed us. It was a bit like game, set and match.

“But second-half I thought we came out and really gave it a good go; had a couple of chances and we were unlucky. But we killed ourselves off in the first-half.”

And then, of course, there was Mr D'Urso and his latest efforts to be the one talking point to emerge out of a Norwich-Bristol City game.

Last year, of course, and it was his last minute decision-making at Ashton Gate that was earning both Glenn Roeder and Lee Clark an invite down to Soho Square.

It was the official's same decision-making that was back under the spotlight again yesterday. Or rather his lack of decision-making at key moments in the contest.

The 71st minute, for example, when Orr clattered through the back of Adam Drury being the principal one; Louis Carey's shirt pull on Carl Cort was another; Carey's big hand-ball to Russell's own, first-half drive another.

“We've seen the video and obviously not been given,” said Russell, with the Drury incident foremost in everyone's mind.

“But it's football – it's not been given,” he added. “It's swings and roundabouts – and it never swung in our direction.

“Carl and Adam were the two big ones and I also felt that I had a shot that I felt was a handball. But these things happen.

“And if the referee looks at things and changes his decision – because we felt that with Doc's he touched the ball having just seen it on the video – these are the things that change and win games.”

City boss Gunn revealed afterwards that the Canaries would consider launching an appeal to have Doherty's red-card over-turned as he, too, insisted, that the video evidence was that of ball first, player second.

But as Messrs Roeder and Clark discovered last season, the Football Association disciplinary appeals committee are rarely for turning; Norwich will have to travel to Preston North End next weekend without one, experienced Championship centre-half in the building.

“We've got get on with it; make our own luck; try and work around these influences that happen,” added Russell.

On the positive front, Cort's overall contribution was rightly recognised by the man who all-too often this season has been asked to step into those target man shoes.

But with Cort hitting some decent form again after those 12 months in the injury wildreness and Chris Killen also now in the building, so Russell can concentrate on slugging it out with skipper Mark Fotheringham for that central midfield slot.

“Carl's done really well,” said Russell. “Nine times out of ten when the ball goes up there, it's going to stick – he's done brilliant up there.

“And it makes a massive difference having someone like that up there. It gives confidence to the midfielders and the wingers to run on and get those flick-ons; get those touches and go and support him.

“And he should be pleased with himself. He's doing very well and he should be getting fitter and fitter as the weeks go on.”

Russell readily admitted that Norwich were slow out of the blocks; that they took a while to warm up – by when the Robins had already powered into the lead via Cole Skuse's 14th minute opener.

“If we'd done in the first 45 minutes what we'd done in the second, then perhaps we would be stood here talking about a win.

“We started slowly today; it took a while to settle in; when we lost our man we probably killed ourselves. But then we probably played better with ten men than we had done with 11.

“I'm sure we'll get back to the drawing board on Monday and get ourselves ready for the next game.”


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