City may wobble, but they don’t fall over

Remember the advertising slogan for the children's toy that went, 'Weebles wobble but they don't fall down'?

Now apply it to Norwich City.

Nothing childish here, it's just that City have an unerring refusal to stay down after an early punch in the stomach, a reluctance to roll over in the face of a second kick in the teeth and an unswerving desire to stand toe to toe with anyone in their way.

Wobble they did at St Mary's on Saturday, but fall down they didn't.

Southampton isn't a place City particularly enjoy playing, if their record is anything to go by - six defeats in the last 10 visits now - but after a sluggish opening half they fairly revelled in the slippery conditions.

It takes two to tango, and Saints played their part in what turned out to be a real humdinger of a contest between two sides whose fortunes have sadly followed similar paths in recent years.

In 2005 they both slipped out of the Premier League and last May joined hands in leaving the Championship behind.

Saints have had boardroom upheavals which make City's look like minor spats over the half-time fairy cakes, and now find themselves 10 points down on everyone else because someone couldn't balance the books - and the Football League doesn't encourage that sort of fiscal misbehaviour.

Fortunately, although the City coffers are bare, they have kept their heads above water. Curious then, that Saints can spend £1m on Rickie Lambert and splash out a half decent fee for Dean Hammond, while Paul Lambert appears to have nothing to spend. Thatthe way this funny business seems to work.

But that's by the by: the latest encounter was a blood and guts affair which really got going in the second half. City had started the game well enough, passing the ball well, but were undone by a moment of great skill by Adam Lallana, Saints' version of Wes Hoolahan. Ironic, then, that Hoolahan contributed to the goal, his wayward pass into midfield picked up by David Connolly, who saw Lallana making a forward run which took him past Jon Otsemobor and then round Jens Berthel Askou before burying a right-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

It was an excellent goal and it put City on the back foot; Connolly was finding holes, Lallana was making the runs and Michail Antonio was the pace down the right. Fraser Forster had to tip over a Rickie Lambert header as Saints piled forward.

The hosts weren't short of a bit of aggression as well - Radhi Jaidi clattered into the back of Grant Holt with the sort of force that has earned ASBOs in some Norfolk towns before Hammond took the City skipper's feet from under him.

City's physical demands were all about getting legs and feet in the way of shots. Askou and Gary Doherty did just that to deny Lallana and Hammond as the storm grew, on the field and off it.

Holt and Chris Martin were doing all the right things up front, but the ball wouldn't drop for either as City back-pedalled, leaving Hoolahan struggling to make an impact. Adam Drury denied Antonio a run on goal with a perfectly-executed must-win tackle as City held out until half-time, when you anticipated a paint-peeling team talk from Paul Lambert.

City started the second half in the same manner they had the first - but with added thrust: Holt was close to getting on the end of Simon Lappin's corner and then saw Kelvin Davis deny him at the near post.

Holt fired a volley at a linesman after a handball claim against Dan Harding was ignored, and City began to come to life.

Hoolahan can't be expected to produce top quality stuff every game, so he can be excused for a contribution that was simply average - just a goal this time.

The first equaliser came after he had slipped Martin through in the left-hand channel, and when the striker tried to cut inside towards the keeper, Lloyd James chopped him down from behind.

It was a penalty every day of the week. The only surprise was the sight of Davis getting a hand to Hoolahan's spot-kick - only to see it come back off his right-hand post and then rebound perfectly for Hoolahan to knock home from five yards.

You could almost hear the sniggers for ex-Ipswich keeper Davis among the cheers for Hoolahan from the City fans.

Holt was again left unimpressed after heading Darel Russell's free-kick past Davis only to hear referee Andy Penn's whistle go for a free-kick, with two defenders on the floor as he wheeled away.

City had the momentum, but it was temporarily handed back to Saints when Connolly put them ahead again, cutting in from the left as Lappin and Otsemobor retreated to cover Harding's run down the flank and, before City could close him down, unleashing a right-footer which flew into the far top corner.

It was a goal that deserved to win any game, but City no longer do gifts. At the risk of sounding repetitive, this City side doesn't appear to capitulate like some others of recent times.

Back they came, and Martin was convinced he had earned a second penalty when, as he headed away from goal, Neal Trotman caught him from behind as he shadowed him. Martin was furious when Mr Penn waved away his claims, and was booked for dissent. The likelihood of the official giving him a second spot-kick in the space of 24 minutes was never much good.

Saints had by then tried to match up City tactically, Lallana playing in the Hoolahan role, but the City man departed with 18 minutes left - and soon City were level for a second time.

Korey Smith clipped a pass into Martin's path and the striker, knowing the wet conditions could help him, sent a 25-yarder towards goal. The ball bounced just in front of Davis, who failed to hold it, and sub Stephen Hughes, with virtually his first kick, did what it says in the teaching manual and followed up, sliding in to prod the ball home.

All square, and like two boxers approaching the final few rounds, it became a slugfest. To their credit, neither team settled for a single point.

Holt came close when he tried to flick Drury's near-post cross past Davis, but saw it trickle just wide - the story of his afternoon, although the agonised look on his face said it all.

By 4.45pm both teams were on their knees: their corner men could do little more than watch and admire.

And when Mr Penn finally ended it, City, led by their manager, went into a corner to thank the 2,200 City fans who had made the long journey south.

They wobbled, but nowadays they just don't look like falling.