Jealous Joe
Canaries on song as Lewis gets first goal NORWICH ......... 1 LEICESTER ...... 0 ST MIRREN v ABERDEEN
JAMAL LEWIS smashed home his first Premier League goal to keep alive Norwich’s survival hopes after more controversy with VAR.
The Canaries left-back got forward to fire past Kasper Schmeichel to lift Daniel Farke’s side only four points from safety with just 10 games to go.
The Norwich boss said: “Leicester have a top-class side, top-class coach and top-class players. I’m pretty proud today.”
But while Norwich recorded only their second win in 15 league games, Leicester extended their winless streak to four without Jamie Vardy.
His replacement Kelechi Iheanacho thought he had given Leicester the lead after 49 minutes when he dispossessed Ben Godfrey and curled home.
But VAR replays showed the ball brushed his hand in the build-up and referee Craig Pawson disallowed the strike to the fury of boss Brendan Rodgers.
The former Celtic gaffer said: “We are disappointed with our goal being ruled out. We felt it was very, very harsh. It was unintentional but it hits their player’s arm and drops on to Kelechi’s. We’re bitterly disappointed not to get it.”
JOE LEWIS admits he’s green with envy whenever his Aberdeen team-mates talk about their League Cup win in 2014.
The 32-year-old has heard the likes of Shay Logan, Niall McGinn and Andrew Considine talk proudly about their glory day in Glasgow when they beat Inverness.
Dons skipper Lewis wants nothing more than to lift some silverware of his own during his time at Pittodrie.
And while hopes of winning the Betfred Cup are over for the season, the big keeper has his sights on an even bigger prize – the Scottish Cup.
He played in the 2017 final – losing to Celtic – but ahead of tonight’s crunch quarter-final with St Mirren there’s a desperation to go one better.
He said: “There are a few lads still here from when we won the League Cup and I wish I had been part of that.
“I’m jealous of the guys who were part of it and it’s a motivation for everyone to join that group – just as it is for those who were here and are desperate to add a Scottish Cup winners’ medal to their League Cup one.
“I’ve got a box with all my shirts and memorabilia. I haven’t got anything up on walls, it’s all in a box, but when I retire I’ll go through it and reflect on my career.
“Runners-up medals are good memories of what you have done in your career but a winners’ medal is one I’d put up on the wall.
“I was never at a club in England that had a realistic chance of winning the FA Cup but up here I am at a club capable of winning.”
Aberdeen have failed to score in their previous two visits to Paisley in the league this season, losing 1-0 back in August and being held to a scoreless draw last month.
Dons boss Derek McInnes
BY SCOTT BURNS came in for some stick from his own fans after that last game but Lewis knows a big performance tonight will have everyone more than happy.
He said: “I’ve been in football long enough now to realise fans’ and players’ frustrations can be huge after a poor performance or result.
“We’ve still got a great opportunity to win silverware this season and if we did it would be a big success for the club and for the supporters who have stuck by us.
“We get the frustration they feel sometimes but the only way to answer it is by getting results and reaching a semifinal would be a great way to get our season going.
“It’s a competition that I have always enjoyed but we know St Mirren will set up well and be confident. It’s a big chance for them as well.
“They have made it tough for us as we haven’t scored in our last two trips down there but hopefully we can win what is a big match.”
He said: “You have those exceptional moments and I’m sure that game lives in the memory for a long time.
“But it means nothing if we don’t capitalise by getting to the semi-final.
“We have to get to Hampden and another big chance to make a final because the team means a lot to us.
“You could see that in the way we kept fighting right to the end of normal time and extra-time at Kilmarnock.
“We know how important it is for a club to be competing for silverware and this is our best chance of doing that.
“The league is too far gone for us so our only chance is lifting the Cup.”