Battle to the end

The manner of the side's second league defeat said much about the playing philosophy adopted by manager Stan Ternent this season and suggested the entertainment level will continue to remain very high.

In the desperate chase for an equaliser Ternent went for broke. Perhaps he will have a kitchen sink on the bench for the next match because at Carrow Road he threw everyhing else at the home defence in the closing stages.

And it almost worked as late sub Tony Ellis blasted over the bar when well positioned to leave Ternent ruing what might have been.

"Tony had a good chance but Glen Little had already had a couple of gilt edged chances," he said. "I felt we had enough chances to have scored more than one goal."

Saturday's match saw another Clarets record broken, it being the first in which they have not netted twice in a game this season but it was not for lack of trying.

By the end, with Little and the two Moores all off injured, everyone was being flung forward. Ellis's fellow sub Andy Payton hit the side-netting, Ellis missed another chance and scorer Gordon Armstrong saw Norwich sub Neil Emblem clear his header off the line with his first touch.

Steve Davis was adding his physical presence to the attack and Malky Mackay and Craig Fleming had to be at their best in the heart of the Canaries defence.

It was agonising for the visiting fans to watch but, inevitably, in the chase to make it 2-2, the home side had some good chances to make it 3-1.

Alex Notman hit the woodwork and Gary Holt was denied by Nik Michopolous in a one-on-one confrontation as huge gaps were left as Burnley's players piled forward.

"You run the risk of conceding a third goal but they didn't get it and we could have levelled," said Ternent.

Burnley was chasing the game from as early as the fourth minute when they fell behind to the type of goal they have been scoring of late.

When Steen Nedergaard's right wing cross reached Paul McVeigh there did not appear to be any great problem as he laid the ball back to midfielder Gary Holt.

But Holt, who had never scored for Norwich, did not hesitate as he smashed a shot into the roof of the net leaving Nik Michopolous as helpless as Alan Kelly had been for Birmingham five days earlier when Little and Ian Moore had their shooting boots on.

That goal set up an extended period when the Clarets were on the back foot. Needergaard and McVeigh were rampaging down both flanks and the balls into the box were causing panic. Iwan Roberts and Marc Libbra kept Davis and Armstrong very busy and Burnley's players could not get hold of the ball and pass it as they have done for most of the season.

Ternent had named an unchanged side but he claimed that Norwich City deserved a lot of credit for not allowing his side to get into the game in the early stages, although he was not happy with his men.

The one threat that the visitors did carry came in the shape of Alan Moore.

His dribbling skills were evident as he ran at the heart of the Norwich defence as he sought to mark his permanent move to Turf Moor with a goal.

What he did prove was that, having signed a three-year deal, he is a great addition to the squad.

The one concern was that a player with a history of injury problems was denied the chance to get Burnley back in the game when he had to limp off just before the break.

By then Little had missed his first great chance to level, curling a left foot shot wide in the 36th minute when the ball broke to him just 12 yards out.

Four minutes after the break he missed another great opportunity, this time finding the side netting with his left foot from six yards after Gareth Taylor had nodded down a wonderful cross from the left by Davis.

It was to prove to be a costly miss when Roberts, Norwich's star man, doubled the lead in the 55th minute.

McVeigh crossed from the left and the Welshman went up with Michopoulos. While most referees are members of POG (Protect Our Goalies) it would appear that Paul Alcock isn't.

Under strong pressure the Greek keeper dropped the ball and Darel Russell looked certain to score before Armstrong somehow blocked his shot on the line. The reprieve was temporary as Roberts untangled himself in time to bundle the ball home, this time the ball finding the net off Armstrong.

The home side may have thought that was game over but no one who has been watching Burnley was surprised when they were back in the game within three minutes.

This time Armstrong was in the thick of the action at the other end, volleying home from close range after Paul Weller had flicked on Little's right wing corner.

And it was from another Little corner, 16 minutes from time, that Armstrong looked certain to level only for Emblem to clear his header from the line.

It was breathless stuff as Burnley's players shook off their first half sluggishnes and at last passed the ball as they have been all season. Weller, back from injury and on for injured Alan Moore, was roaming to good affect and Little also moved away from the right flank in search of the ball.

In fact Worthington admitted it was concern about Weller that led to Emblem being brought on for Libbra.

Ternent had to bring on Payton for Ian Moore and Ellis for Little as both players suffered knocks, Little after a mazy run to the edge of the Norwich area in the 82nd minute.

As the chances came thick and fast at both ends the one surprise was there was no addition to the scoreline meaning it was Norwich's 100 per cent home record that remained in tact.

But if Burnley can remember to play for a full 90 minutes there should be more happy away days to come.

RESULT: NORWICH CITY...2

Holt 4, Roberts 55

BURNLEY...1

Armstrong 58