Adam Drury spilled blood in the City cause again - but was happy enough to come out on top in his battle with Preston dangerman Simon Whaley.

By CHRIS LAKEY

Adam Drury spilled blood in the City cause again - but was happy enough to come out on top in his battle with Preston dangerman Simon Whaley.

The Lilywhites' right midfielder is one of the Championship's top young players and has been linked with Middlesbrough and Portsmouth.

But Drury, who was left nursing a cut above his left eye, was claiming the hours after their tussle at the weekend.

“Before the game we obviously knew about the lad who plays on the right for them Whaley - everyone knows in this division he is one of the danger players,” said Drury.

“But I was pretty pleased with my performance. I don't think he got past me too many times, which as a full-back is the main thing. He kept trying to run me and that but I had my day today - but that is your job as a full-back; to try and stop your man getting in and getting tight to him.”

Not that Drury - still playing with a gap in his teeth after last season's collision with West Brom's Zoltan Gera - could see everything that was going on.

“I got a knock quite early on and my left eye was a bit blurred, not all the way across, just half across my eye,” he said. “It was like when you have a watery - but nothing serious. It's part of football, you just get on with it.”

Drury was without his regular left-sided ally Darren Huckerby at the weekend - but the extra defensive stability that brings is counter-balanced by the lack of penetration Huckerby gives the Canaries.

“Creativity wise, without him in the team obviously it is a massive blow to anyone because when you get Hucks on the ball he causes problems for any team,” said Drury. “From a defensive point of view, I thought we were solid today. Although we had a lot of set-pieces against us, from open play they had two long-range shots, one which hit the post, but apart from that I don't think they really cut us open.

“Their delivery from set-pieces was very good, but the bigger lads in our team picked them up and David Marshall did a fantastic job defending them because their delivery was spot on. They were fouling him but he didn't get too many decisions, but I thought we held out well.”

Next up, after tomorrow's Carling Cup tie at home to Barnet, are Southampton at Carrow Road next weekend, when Drury says City must build on the weekend result at Preston.

“It was good for the first day, you only have to look at some of the other results and there have been some strange ones, so to come here and get a point is a good result - but we have to make sure we build on it,” he said. “Southampton is a tough game, but our home form is going to be crucial this year.

“If we want to achieve anything we know that. The year we did go up the home form was massive and if you can pick up points away it is brilliant.”