CUP RUN CLIPPING ROBINS’ WINGS
BRISTOL City boss Lee Johnson believes his promotion-chasing team could be becoming victims of their cup success.
James Maddison’s 79th-minute winner inflicted a third successive Championship defeat on the Robins at the end of a week that saw them put in an heroic Carabao Cup semifinal first-leg performance at Manchester City.
A fantastic late save by Alex Gunn from Josh Brownhill’s close-range effort protected the Norwich lead and Johnson said: “I always feared this period of games. Perhaps we are victims of our cup run.
“The Manchester City game took a huge amount of energy out of the players. With so many injuries, I am not able to make changes with the same confidence as early in the season and it may be that our fringe players now have to step up.
“We did okay today, but perhaps lacked a physical presence up front. Unfortunately, that is not an option I have at the moment.
“In the first half we didn’t get enough quality balls into the Norwich box. But we put that right at half-time and on our second-half performance we might have won 3-0.
“Norwich were always dangerous on the break. But I couldn’t fault the lads for effort and I’m glad there is a free week now before we take on Derby County.”
Maddison’s eighth goal of the season capped a fine Norwich move, which began with Mario Vrancic’s long crossfield pass to find Ivo Pinto on the right. Pinto quickly transferred the ball to Maddison, who cut inside into the box to send a sweet left-footed drive past Frank Fielding.
For Norwich head coach Daniel Farke, the moment put the icing on a near-perfect away performance which puts them six points adrift of the play-off places but a comfortable 13 points above the bottom three.
He said: “We had a really thin squad today, but we had a special plan for this game and I must praise my players for making it work so well.
“It was a tough week for us, with two players leaving and suffering some injuries. This ranks up there with the best results we have while I have been in charge.
“We defended really well, trying to make Bristol play as many long balls as possible and looking to block up the middle of the pitch where they like to play a lot of give and goes.
“They are one of the teams of the season and have many good players so we need to enjoy this result and not think too far ahead.
“I don’t want to put pressure on the players by talking about promotion in a season where we are getting the finances in order by selling players.”
Fielding had to make the first save of the game on 15 minutes, diving to his left to parry Maddison’s 25-yard drive.
Liam Walsh, making his home debut for the hosts, almost gifted the visitors a 23rd minute. Maddison robbed him and fed Josh Murphy, whose shot from a narrow angle was brilliantly cleared off the line by Nathan Baker.
Murphy fired over from the edge of the box before he best chance of the first half fell to Nelson Oliveira, who sent his low shot wide when breaking clear on 44 minutes.
Bristol upped their game after the break and were unlucky on 62 minutes when Walsh played a left wing corner into the path of Brownhill, who struck the outside of a post with a superb 30-yard shot.