Saints vs. Norwich, 16 December [R]

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Can Saints get back to their winning ways after last week's debacle at Southend? I certainly hope so.

Here is the Saints starting XI:

Davis
Ostlund-Baird-Claus-Bale
Surman-Pele-Wright-Skacel
Rasiak-Jones

Subs: BWP, Viafara, Dyer, Idiakez, Bart (GK)

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Saints are off to a bright start, but it is still 0-0 after 5' minute.

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Bale just misses by an inch or two from putting another freekick into the back of the net!!

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NNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Earnshaw, from over 20 yards, puts Norwich's first shot on target to make it 0-1 Norwich on the 21' minute. Completely against the run of play, but typical this year for Saints!!! :mad:

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To the Saints credit they have come back and laid seige on the Canaries' net. A couple of close range shots from Surman fail to go in, but it is still 0-1 Norwich.

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YYYYYYEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!

Bale on this third freekick of the day has finally put it in after grazing the crossbar and post on his previous two!!! He quickly decided to take the freekick while Norwich were phaffing about and put it straight past the keeper.

Saints 1 Norwich 1 after the 40' minute

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Well that's HT. Saints 1 Norwich 1.

Saints started off the match brightly for the first 20 minutes or so until Norwich score against the total run of play. Saints fight back and Norwich started to even up the run of play. Saints started to pick it up again in the final 7 or 8 minutes which culminated with a fabulous goal from Bale off of a freekick to level the match. Hopefully Saints can put a few more in in the second half and keep Norwich at bay.

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Halftime stats are as follows:

Saints-----------------Norwich
Goal Attempts 14 : 2 Goal Attempts

On Target 7 : 1 On Target

Crosses 8 : 4 Crosses

Corners 6 : - Corners

Offside 2 : 3 Offside

Fouls 6 : 9 Fouls

Free kicks 12 : 8 Free kicks

Yellow cards - : - Yellow cards

Red cards - : - Red cards

% Possession 52 : 48 Possession %

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Surman with another fine cross which is fumbled by the Norwich keeper and Rasiak just missed putting the ball in the net by an inch or two.

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After about 15 minutes of Saints peppering the Norwich goal from all over the pitch, Canaries have come back and started putting a lot of shots on the Saints net.

Still 1-1 after the 62' minute.

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YYYYYYEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!

Jones with a free header from the corner to make it 2-1 Saints on the 65' minute!!! :)

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Earnshaw booked for diving on the 64' minute.

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Great save by Davis after the defence let Norwich in alone on net!!

[prk166]

Since it seems like Saints have been running at Norwich all day long I had to check gamecast for state. They're is saying Saints have had 25 shots to 3 by Norwich. Pure craziness!

It'd be nice to see Skacel put this one away.

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BWP on for Rasiak on the 73' minute.

[prk166]

BWP on for Rasiak. Burley trying to add some late pace to counter Norwich pushing up.

[prk166]

Unfortunately not too many other games in teh colaship are going the way Saints would want them to.

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Since it seems like Saints have been running at Norwich all day long I had to check gamecast for state. They're is saying Saints have had 25 shots to 3 by Norwich. Pure craziness!

It'd be nice to see Skacel put this one away.

Yes, Saints have been bombing the Norwich all day from close range all the way back to 35 yards out. Unfortunately they let another long range goal in for Norwich which is the second or third match in a row which they have allowed such a goal. :(

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Viafara on for Skacel in order to add a bit more steel to our defence.

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Great save by Davis on a pointblank shot from Dublin. Norwich are really putting the Saints under a ton of pressure.