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‘That’s never happened before’ – but midfield star is loving the fruits of Norwich City’s new way
Jamal Lewis, Todd Cantwell, Max Aarons and Ben Godfrey congregate ahead of kick-off - and another Championship victory - at Ewood Park, against Blackburn. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
The Norwich City kids are more than all right, as far as experienced head Alex Tettey is concerned – with the Canaries earning victory at Blackburn.
Ben Godfrey started again and kept his first Canaries clean sheet at centre-back alongside full-back academy products Jamal Lewis and Max Aarons, plus Todd Cantwell higher up the pitch, as City returned to the top of the Championship – for a few hours at least.
City's 1-0 win at Rovers means Daniel Farke's men have 47 points from the first half of the campaign, with their closest rivals Leeds in action at Aston Villa on Sunday (1.30pm).
But it took a customary late strike to earn their 14th victory, Teemu Pukki snatching the winning goal four minutes from time.
'I think the second half was a proper Championship game but I think it's good we have boys that can dig in and work hard, and we know we have quality – so we just needed to fight and battle a bit; we managed to do that and then we managed to get a goal as well in the end,' said 32-year-old Tettey, following his 200th City appearance.
Teemu Pukki earned another 1-0 win for Norwich City as the Finnish striker made it 1-0 over Blackburn in the 86th minute at Ewood Park. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
'Since I've been at the club, it's not been easy for the young boys to get opportunities, but the way it's been going with the team, we have Ben at the back, Jamal, Max and Toddy – that's never happened before.
'But they are doing unbelievably well. So I'm very glad for them and they should just keep it going.
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'I am old now and regardless of how young they are, I don't think much about ages. But it's brilliant to see. Football is changing and it's nice for the club and the manager to give these guys a chance, and good for them to grab it as well.'
MORE: Blackburn 0-1 Norwich City – How it unfolded
There is no denying Norwich had to dig in to earn their Ewood Park win, against a Rovers side that has proven very difficult to beat on home turf in recent months.
Tettey added: 'I think we started very well, passing and we had them in their half. What was good was we found some space and moved the ball well.
'But in the second half they found a way to disrupt our game and we couldn't manage to keep those passes going.
'We thought we were not that patient in building up the game and then finding the last pass. So when they had it they counter attacked, and when we had it we tried to go fast forward too. That's what made it a Championship game – the ball going back and forth. There was no time where we kept the ball and were patient.'
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