Grant slams match officials

CHRIS LAKEY

Peter Grant saluted his battered troops but once against launched a broadside at the match officials.

The Canaries' boss was seething after a 3-0 defeat at Turf Moor which, he claimed, had been a case of City against 14 men.

Canaries fans will probably be more concerned with the lead-up to Sunday's East Anglian derby clash at home to Ipswich, particularly with an injury list which looks like it could also include Darren Huckerby, Dion Dublin and Lee Croft.

It left Grant naming one of the youngest City squads for some time, with teenagers Kris Renton give his first start and Academy player Bally Smart coming off the bench for his debut.

“I am not worried about Sunday,” said Grant. “You have to worry about the performance tonight. I thought it was brilliant, we were outstanding.

“It was very difficult playing against 14 people. I thought the officials were awful from start to finish. It is hard enough coming here to play against 11 than with the match officials as well.

“If we had taken one point from the game I would have been disappointed after the way we performed, so Sunday will take care of itself.

“We performed very, very well, I thought we were magnificent with the group we had out tonight and to lose that game the way we did beggars belief.”

City old boy Ade Akinbiyi got Burnlkey's opener in the first half but it took two goals in the final five minutes to secure the points in what ended up as a flattering scoreline for Burnley, who bare now virtually certain to survive in the Championship.

“They went in front against the run of play, they got the second one against the run of play they got the third one against the run of play,” said Grant.

“I thought we were brilliant. Look at that group of 16 and 17 year old boys, they manoeuvred the ball well we got into good positions, the final third is the only place we let ourselves down.”