Matt Scrafton documents Norwich City's first Premier League win of the season against struggling Bolton Wanderers.
Norwich City have begun life back in the Premier League in steady fashion with a respectable five points from five games, leaving them sitting content in mid-table. City earned their first Premier League victory of the season last weekend thanks to a dogged display away to top flight stalwarts Bolton Wanderers. Summer signings Anthony Pilkington and Bradley Johnson found the net for the visitors in the first half, when it seemed as if Norwich would cruise to their first Premier League away victory for 17 years.
Conversely, the visitors conceded their fifth consecutive penalty of the season midway through the second half, which was converted by Martin Petrov, and struggled to hold on despite the home side being reduced to 10 men following Ivan Klasnic’s needless dismissal. The final half hour of the match saw both sides come close on several occasions, but the Norwich faithful were left buoyant at the final whistle, with the game finishing 2-1 to the Premier League newcomers.
Paul Lambert’s men have acclimatised well to the demands of England’s top flight. However, the Canaries stalled somewhat with two draws in their opening couple of fixtures. City battled to a point away at Wigan on the opening day of the season, failing to emulate the 4-1 victory of Blackpool on the opening day of last season. The East Anglian outfit will also be frustrated with games against Stoke and West Brom, where they failed to pick up vital victories. Nevertheless, Lambert will be hoping that his side do not share the same fate that Blackpool suffered and find themselves back in the Championship next season. dominance at home, or tenacity on the road.