IT’S FARMAGEDDON!
Lambert points the finger... and policeman has to step in
PAUL LAMBERT’s return to Norwich saw him held back by a police officer during a furious touchline bust-up that led to the Ipswich boss being shown a red card.
Lambert, who took the Canaries from League One to the Premier League in 2011 with back- to- back promotions, clashed with opposing coaching staff during a fiery ‘Old Farm’ derby.
It came after a crunching challenge by Ipswich’s Jon Nolan on Max Aarons.
Lambert, who was booed throughout the game, afterwards said he did not regret the ruckus, before accusing the home supporters of having ‘short memories’.
This win sent Norwich back to the top of the Championship. Onel Hernandez scored his opener after only 82 seconds before Teemu Pukki’s second-half double confirmed the Canaries would leapfrog Leeds and leave Ipswich adrift at the bottom of the table.
‘ Going up, going down,’ Norwich’s supporters sang on repeat. Indeed, it is looking more and more likely that they will be a Premier League club next season, while Ipswich will be in League One. Since Ipswich joined the Football League in 1938, they have never been more than a division away from their East Anglian rivals, though that is a distinct possibility now.
The touchline confrontation caused some recriminations. Daniel Farke, the Norwich boss, accused some Ipswich staff of lacking ‘class’ in defeat. When asked about that view, Lambert said: ‘He should look at his own staff first.’
Lambert said: ‘ I am not going to stand there and watch players run 30 yards to get people booked. I am not going to let someone come into our technical area. I am not letting him come in to provoke us.
‘So I stood my ground. Do I regret it? No. A steward was trying to put his hands on me and I objected to that. The police guy was great, I don’t have a problem with him. He tried to make sure I was OK. He was totally frank — he was just trying to disperse it.
‘But I said I wasn’t going to stand by and let someone come from their technical area into mine. I won’t have that.’
Farke said: ‘I got the feeling 95 per cent of Ipswich took the defeat well. You can lose games but show some quality, show some style, show some class. There were one or two guys. I was a bit annoyed with how they handled it.’
Norwich had not lost an ‘Old
Farm’ derby since 2009 and the early goal meant that run never looked like ending.
Aarons was allowed to run down the right wing before he crossed. ipswich failed to clear and a brave header from Mario Vrancic found hernandez, who tapped the ball in at the back post.
The brawl broke out before the break when Nolan went in late and heavy on Aarons close to the halfway line.
Norwich were furious and there was pushing and shoving among players. The benches got involved.
Referee Peter Bankes produced a red card for Norwich’s fitness coach Chris Domogalla, then Lambert, who continued his tirade as he stormed down the tunnel.
Lambert’s day got worse when Matthew Pennington gave possession away cheaply to Emi Buendia, who played Pukki through. Norwich’s top scorer then found the far corner.
Pukki got his second of the afternoon from a one- on- one after Buendia set him up again.