In scorching sunshine the Tigers sweep aside a limited Norwich side with some fine passing and two quality goals, with Dion Dublin only briefly threatening to spoil the show.

A conversation in the pub before the game went along the lines of "So with Huckerby out injured, who do Norwich have playing for them nowadays?" The best response we could come up with was Dion Dublin. Upon arriving at the ground, the question had a proper answer, in the shape of the one time effective loanee from Liverpool, Jon Otsemobor and the rather laughable loanee from Sunderland, Chris Brown. Of course, when you make comments like that about an ex-player, you know they always have a storming game against you, and are likely to score at least once.

Aside from the enforced change with Dawson coming in at right back to replace the suspended Ricketts, the Tigers carded the same starting 11 as they did for the previous draw against Coventry. This also meant we continued with our preferred 4-4-2.

Duke
Dawson Turner Brown Delaney
Garcia Marney Ashbee Elliott
Windass Barmby

With the coin toss lost and Coventry electing to swap sides for the first half, another return was on the cards – this time the Peter Taylor kick off routine. So the ball was played back to Ashbee who lofted the ball out to the right wing, over the head of Garcia and out for a Norwich throw.

A few early chances fell to both sides, firstly with Dawson getting up his wing and linking well with Barmby who put his cross just wide. Next up Chris Brown held back Delaney who could only flick a header to the wing, where a Canary cross along the top of the area saw a shot come in and easily parried by Duke.

By this point it was becoming obvious that Norwich had clearly come to the game with the intention of gaining a point from the match, with Chris Brown really dropping back to little effect, leaving the Tigers summer target, and boo boy for the day, Cureton to plough on alone up front. It also wasn't long after that the `keeper Marshall was on the receiving end of some East stand abuse when he insisted on delaying each goal kick as much as possible.

With Norwich sitting back, City take the initiative and create several half chances. A long Delaney clearance finds Barmby on the left hand angle of the box, but his cross just evades Elliott. Next up, Windass releases Garcia on the wing, who wins a corner off Murray. Marney hits the first of his much improved corner taking to the front post, finding Ashbee who puts his shot just wide of the post.

With Windass winning another City corner Marney crosses to the centre of the area where both Ashbee and Delaney get in challenges with a Canary before the ball eventually squirms out for a throw in. This is quickly taken to Elliott who crosses to the back post, meeting Windass's head to put just wide. A final City chance before Norwich are allowed a go sees a right wing cross from Garcia and Elliott challenge the keeper with loud protests from the Norwich keeper.

On 22, Norwich finally get their 2nd chance of the game. Otsemobor's pace takes him down the wing and past a despairing challenge from Delaney, which leaves him free. His 30 yard drive is fortunately put well over the post. Another Norwich opportunity had Cureton beyond our defence and running through on goal. With the edge of the area fast approaching, a perfectly timed tackle by Turner gets the ball off the former Tigers target and removes the danger.

With a heavy challenge on Barmby seeing him receive a bit of treatment before limping around the pitch for a few minutes, he's replaced by Bridges.

His first bit of action sees him take the ball up the left wing, only to lose possession to Otsemobor. Once again he goes on a run up the wing and once again his pace evades Delaney and also misses an Ashbee challenge. Fortunately his poor cross is hit over the bar.

A few more Norwich opportunities see a cross from their left find Brellier advancing to the edge of our area. With no challenges coming in, he puts his shot over. Again Norwich put us on the back foot with a low Croft cross from the left wing finding Cureton who plays the ball onto Otsemobor on the right wing. His cross is then played back in where Wayne Brown gets a headed clearance out before a Norwich shot is put wide.

The final exchanges of the half see a long Delaney clearance headed by Windass to Bridges. He moves with the ball along the edge of the area before putting his shot wide. Finally a Croft left wing cross is headed out by Dawson for a corner, which is headed clear by Turner.

The start of the second half sees Chris Brown move into a more attacking position for Norwich, playing up alongside Cureton. This tactical change seems to have an early benefit, as he reappears in the game he'd gone largely missing in. Within a few minutes of the half a high ball is met with Brown's boot, which is about level with Dawson's head.

After Elliott wins a corner, Marney plays it centrally where it's cleared to Garcia. Garcia gets up the wing and cuts the ball back to Bridges who gets the ball caught under his feet before putting a rather soft shot wide.

Then a minute later, we take the lead. A long ball down the right releases Bridges. A low cross along the edge of the box is dummied by Ashbee with the ball rolling onto Windass to smash the ball home.

With the goal, the Tigers tails are up, more tiger pressure is seen. A long Windass ball up the right releases Bridges, only to see Norwich concede a corner which they manage to clear.

A rare Norwich attack sees Chris Brown go down on the edge of our area following a Turner challenge and a free kick awarded by an increasingly fussy referee. Lappin takes the kick, but Turner leaps salmon like out of the wall to head clear.

Normal service is once again resumed with a chipped ball from Garcia releasing Marney. Seeing the `keeper off his line, he also chips the ball, only to see it land on the roof of the net. Dawson then charges to the angle of the Norwich box before playing back to Marney who again puts his shot over.

Dawson is then booked having gone rather late through a Canary.

A second high boot by Chris Brown sees Wayne Brown highlight these misdemeanours to the referee, but no booking came along.

The continued Tiger pressure first sees Delaney play the ball long up the wing to Marney who wins a free-kick by the corner flag, having been obstructed by a Norwich defender. This is hit to the front post and cleared. Elliott then has a run up the left wing, but rather frustratingly repeats his trick of not looking where his team mates are before crossing, which means the ball goes nowhere near a City player. Windass does manage to back-track to get to the ball where he plays the ball short to Ashbee to put wide from 30 yards.

Further attacks on the Norwich goal sees Elliott play Ashbee down the left, where a cross is met by a Bridges volley which again goes wide. A cross field ball find Garcia rampaging down the right who crosses to Windass at the back post. He heads the ball down against the back of Otsemobor's legs which is cleared. Finally a long Duke clearance is headed back by Bridges to Windass who shot wide from 20 yards.

On 66, Norwich replaced Brellier with Dublin, which saw the advantage swing back to Norwich.

A period of head tennis sees Chris Brown head to Cureton who heads back to Brown. Seeing Dublin unmarked in a central area outside the box, Brown heads across to the former Cambridge forward who executes a lovely volley past the despairing dive of Duke and into the back of the net.

The advantage then swings very much in favour of the East Anglians, with Marney seeing his name taken by the referee after a soft challenge about 30 yards out. The free-kick is knocked to Otsemobor who shoots straight at Duke. A deep Murray cross is headed out for a corner by Delaney. The ball is then played back in for ex-Spur Doherty to head over.

Then somewhat against the run of pressure, the Tigers regain the lead. A long ball to Windass sees him held back by a Norwich defender, but still is able to cross the ball to the back post. With another dummy – this time by Bridges, Garcia advances to the back post to slot the ball home. Before the re-start, Elliott is then replaced by Hughes.

The final City attack of the match sees a 1-2 between Bridges and Hughes on the left, leaving Bridges clear on the left angle of the box, who puts his shot wide.

Windass is then replaced by Livermore, seeing City take up a 4-5-1 formation, although a quick break makes it seem that Marney and Garcia will push up to make a 4-3-3

4 minutes are signalled by the 4th official, the remaining pressure is from Norwich. Firstly a ball from Norwich's right finds Cureton whose shot is blocked, only for Dublin to put the rebound wide. The final action of the match sees a deep cross from the right having Duke struggle, but still manages to tip the ball away from an on rushing Norwich head before Garcia clears.

Overall a good City performance and showing we've lost the Jekyll and Hyde performances of last season.

HULL CITY (4-4-2): Duke; Dawson, Turner, Brown, Delaney; Garcia, Ashbee, Marney, Elliott; Barmby, Windass.  Subs: Bridges (for Barmby, 29), Hughes (for Elliott, 78), Livermore (for Windass, 89), Doyle, Myhill.

Goals: Windass 49; Garcia 77

Booked: Dawson, Marney

Sent Off: None

NORWICH CITY: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Doherty, Murray, Croft, Russell, Brellier, Lappin, Cureton, Brown.  Subs: Dublin (for Brellier, 68), Strihavka (for Croft, 88), Gilks, Chadwick, Martin.

Goals: Dublin 71

Booked: None

Sent Off: None

REFEREE:  N Miller

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