Canaries keeper Tony Warner was credited with a pair of “worldies” at the Walkers Stadium - but admitted it doesn't come any better than playing behind a defence which includes Dion Dublin.

By CHRIS LAKEY

Canaries keeper Tony Warner was credited with a pair of “worldies” at the Walkers Stadium - but admitted it doesn't come any better than playing behind a defence which includes Dion Dublin.

The veteran striker was again forced to fill a gap in City's defence alongside Jason Shackell following the injury to Gary Doherty, but Warner says the change was seamless.

“Dion is a fantastic player,” said Warner, who efforts went a long way to ensuring all three points came back to Norwich.

“I have played with him before and for where he has been and what he has done and his age - he runs round the training ground like he's a kid. He really enjoys it, you can just see he has a love for the game.

“He will play wherever he is put and it just wasn't a problem. Dion Dublin having to play in front of me is no problem at all!

“It's great to play behind him and I think he showed today why he is so adaptable.

“I thought the defenders were magnificent with the balls that were getting pumped into the box. Dion and Shacks had to take care of them, and that is good play behind, it inspired me. There were a few which I felt I could come for which I did and maybe that works for their benefit as well.

However, without Warner's individual heroics the defensive unity City displayed in the second half would have counted for nothing.

Save number one came early in the second half when striker Matty Fryatt connected well with Richard Stearman's ball into the box. From six yards it looked a certain goal until Warner instinctively stuck out a boot to clear.

Save number two was in the dying moments, with Warner getting his hand on Patrick Kisnorbo's powerful goalbound header.

All in a day's work for Warner, although manager Peter Grant - who has brought the experienced 32-year-old in on loan from Fulham until the end of the season - described the stops as world class.

“That's very nice of him,” said the Liverpudlian. “I think the first one was probably the most pleasing one because the lad just got it, as far as I can remember, five or six yards out for an open goal so I was happy to scramble that one away. I think the second one I just wanted to make sure I got two hands on it and I just swatted it away. It was just important not to try and catch it, just to make sure it didn't go backwards.”

Had Warner been beaten it could have ruined a comeback which, he said, the Canaries dressing room were convinced was on the cards at half-time.

“I think we all had a lot of faith in ourselves,” he said. “Especially after the way we had come back. In the first half we were really, really poor - going down in the first minute, the captain having to go off - we seemed disjointed and you wondered what was going to happen next.

“But I think within the first half even though we were playing poorly there were glimpses that they could be got at. The manager said at half-time that we were great in the final third, everything else was poor. He just said we had got to try and build on that and someone said, 'we will win the game'. Even though we didn't perform in the first half we knew we would win the game.

“But you could see the team had a lot of desire to get something from the game because I think we could see there was something there for us and we got our just desserts over the 90 minutes. We were definitely the better side.”

Warner has four games as a City player, but is unsure of his next move, particularly after last week's managerial change at Fulham.

“My situation hasn't changed,” he said. “I don't know what the score is at Fulham. I spoke to Dave Beasant about the situation but not the manager. I am still on loan until the end of the season. There is a lot of time to sort things out.

“I like it here, I enjoy it. The lads are great and if I was to sign on here it would be good for me.”