Soggy, Soggy, Soggy

Norwich City 2-0 Tranmere Rovers

Who would be a goalkeeper?

This was one of those wet, windy and wild days which has players dodging the odd plastic bag caught in a gust, fans using programmes as make-shift umbrellas and commentators getting all precious about their notes getting soggy.

Norwich 'keeper Fraser Forster spent much of this game peering through the rain as City struggled to break down a resolute, determined Tranmere side. At one point the visitors did mount an excellent Chris Shuker inspired counter attack. He played the ball into the path of team mate Paul McLaren who was on the 6-yard line. It looked a certain goal. Forster though, bounced across and virtually clawed the ball off the goal line. A magnificent save.

At the same end in the second half one of the Tranmere defenders was harshly judged to have used his hand to equal effect to block an Adam Drury shot. An hour gone and City won a penalty. Hoolahan scored and Gary Doherty got the second ten minutes from time.

Appropriate that those two players should score on the day that the East Anglian Children's Hospice got the chance to sponsor the club for a day. I interviewed both players at the charities Snetterton HQ back in April. Footballers get a lot of criticism in the media for their off-field antics but the amount they do for good causes is often conveniently forgotten. Hoolahan left EACH that day covered in green paint after well and truly joining in with play time. It isn't often people manage to get that close to the impishly skillful Hoolahan.