A 1-1 draw, to the outsider, will spell a bore-draw. For those in attendance it was anything but...

Paul Lambert was obliged to ring the changes with Korey Smith ruled out with an ankle injury. Seemingly, whenever any one of Lambert's choice to play the diamond formation is injured, changes to the whole set up are made.

Despite being told that Andrew Surman wasn't match fit, he filled in for Korey Smith and never made too bad a fist of things.

Chris Martin looks to be back in the frame as he was chosen to partner Grant Holt up front, while David Fox and Anthony McNamee were called upon to play a kind of mix between 4-4-2 and the diamond.

Leeds came loaded for bear and dominated much of the first half, with them opening the scoring after 13 minutes with a Max Gradel goal. Gradel made a nuisnace of himself with Russel Martin. Never has Martin been nutmegged so many times in a game, but it goes to show that standing off of your opponent with a stance like a space invader is an invitation to make him look inept. In fact the goal was a result of going under Martin's leg.

City had a few chances, the best of them resulted in Grant Holt being hacked down by Alex Bruce, who tried to avoid punishment by staying down for treatment. The Norwich players were pleading with referee, Mick Russell, for a red card, and there might have been some substance to that. Holt had turned in and was running across the goal and, as he turned towards the net he was brought down by the last player.

Clearly Mick Russell didn't see it as a scoring chance and Bruce arose from the hands of the physio to see that little card of yellow before his eyes as he traipsed off the pitch.

City seemed bereft of ideas when they spent periods passing any way but forwards, and the crowd were getting restless. A little bit of pressure, though, from City just before the whistle was enough to save them from the boo-boys.

The second half was much brighter, if you are a Norwich supporter. There was a little more purpose about the side although there was still that lack of desire to be the one to shoot at goal. Untold opportunities went wasting away with players opting to cross the ball rather than shoot. Then those that did decide to crack it in from 40 yards or so forgot that they were only five yards away and the ball went sailing up towards the Upper Barclay.

On the hour Paul Lambert made the changes that made the difference, with Wes Hoolahan and Simeon Jackson coming on for Andrew Surman and Anthony McNamee.

Did Leeds notice that Norwich had reverted to the formation that was their undoing the last time they visitied Carrow Road? They did, and the whole game moved up yet another gear.

It was a corner, forced when Hoolahan rebounded one off Paul Connolly that resulted in City's equaliser, coming of Leon Barnnett's head - his first in the Yellow and Green.

Now there is already some dissatisfaction from Simon Grayson over the goal. Grayson says that it was clearly a foul on goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in the build up, speaking on Radio Leeds, Grayson said, "He was blatantly pushed by Chris Martin, which as made him end up on his backside, if he`d have been stood up he would have caught the ball."

He must have incredible eyesight to spot that from the halfway line when the officials were right on top of the action. Then again, it was Chris Martin's goal in the dying moments that denied Leeds any points when they last played at Carrow Road, when both clubs were in Division One. And no Norwich supporter will forget how we overtook Leeds, and how they seemed to lose their way completely. Yes, it hurt him that Super Chrissy Martin spoiled things for him once again. IF what he claims is even halfway true.

Norwich City is delighted that the interest in this game, along with the strong travelling contingent, produced the all-time record for a seated stadium, with 26,315 bums on seats.

It would be fair to say that few of those 26 thousand-odd supporters were not happy with the way their side played. Leeds gave as good as they got and it was real, end to end entertainment. Both sides will say their team deserved the win, but a draw shows that both teams are at a standard where the rest of the Championship should take serious note. Because both teams will definitely be in the mix, come May.

Photo: Action Images

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