IT’S PARKY TIME FOR THE TROTTERS Canaries’ poor run goes into the break
PHIL Parkinson felt his Bolton side’s spirit and desire shone through in their win over Norwich as they extended their unbeaten run into the international break.
Goals from Gary Madine and Adam Armstrong stretched Wanderers’ unbeaten run to five games, while Josh Murphy’s late effort proved only consolation for the Canaries.
Though Parkinson was disappointed at no clean sheet after conceding at the death, he felt his side took qualities honed during their last month into the encounter.
“We knew today either made that run a good one or just average and nine points from the five is great for us,” he said.
“To go into the international break on a high, we haven’t had that this season, we’ve got it now and that performance was about spirit and desire with quality as well.
“As much as we say well done lads however, that goal should have been stopped. I am frustrated that we have made it 2-1 – it should have been 2-0, all over.
“We took the qualities we’ve shown in recent weeks into today’s game and I’m very pleased.”
Wes Hoolahan’s crisp pass after nine minutes found Cameron Jerome who shot straight at Ben Alnwick, and moments later the former Stoke striker blasted wide when he should have hit the target.
The Canaries came close again when Christoph Zimmermann met James Maddison’s 21st-minute corner at the near post and his header rippled the side-netting.
After good work from Sammy Ameobi down the right after the half-hour, Armstrong could have given Bolton the lead but diverted his header well over.
But the Trotters seized the advantage when Darren Pratley’s low 35th-minute cross found Madine ahead of Zimmermann, and he coolly slotted home.
And they added a second six minutes later when Mark Little’s cross was knocked down by Madine to tee up Armstrong, and he curled a sublime effort from outside the box past Angus Gunn.
Canaries substitute Marley Watkins worked some space and blasted wide with 25 minutes remaining as the away side searched for a route back.
Maddison’s dangerous 78thminute free-kick nearly crept in with a host of his team-mates unable to provide the finishing touch.
Josh Vela found a charging Little with 10 minutes remaining and the right-back forced Gunn into a low stop with his feet.
Norwich could have grabbed one back when Murphy ran clear seven minutes from the end but fired straight at Alnwick from close range, with the striker’s rebound floating harmlessly wide.
But Murphy got his goal deep into injury time when Jerome fed him in to finish emphatically past Alnwick for a consolation, with Canaries boss Daniel Farke lamenting his side’s finishing after three straight league losses.
“We couldn’t see this result coming in the first half,” he said. “In the first 30 minutes we had the game totally under control, we missed four chances, it was just a question of time when we scored.
“It’s always important when you have such a bad run to stop it early and that’s what we have to do after the international break.”