TODD THE HOME GROWN HERO Farke hails Canaries’ first English scorer
TODD CANTWELL became the first English player to score for Norwich this season as the Canaries stayed top of the league.
Manager Daniel Farke hailed the 20-year-old product of City’s academy after he also set up their second for Max Aarons before Teemu Pukki rounded things off.
“It was important Todd could influence the game the way he did,” Farke said. “It was a brilliant goal and assist, which was vital for us.
“It was same for Max, too. He showed his quality from the wing and it was a crucial goal from him.
“To be able to bring through young players is important. It is important financially but also with the identity of the club.”
Farke ( below) was less happy at Norwich’s sloppy defending for Rotherham’s opener but felt City romped home and could have netted more.
“We should have scored at least five or six. It was an unbelievable amount of chances,” said the German.
Rotherham, unbeaten in seven games, took a shock 11th-minute corner when Richie Towell followed up a Tim Krul save from a long-range Will Vaulks shot.
The goal stemmed from a well-worked short corner, with s et pieces a recurring theme and skipper Vaulks a constant danger lurking just outside the box, in the first half. Ryan Williams came within an inch of putting Rotherham two up when his 22-yard shot hit the inside of a post but rebounded out.
The Millers’ whole-hearted defending kept City at bay in the first half before Norwich cut loose in the second.
Rotherham boss Paul Warne revealed he was late out for the kick-off as he was brushing his teeth.
He was delighted with the way his side went about their business to start with but admitted they were blown away in the second half.
“We frustrated a very good side first half,” said Warne. “We had worked on our set piece but I admit we had not worked it so Richie Trowell would score from the rebound.
“It was a pity we didn’t go 2-0 up when we had the chance. Regrettably we had to take off our centre-half and winger and that killed us a little.
“Norwich moved the ball really well and the scoreline could have been greater, which might have flattered them but they had plenty of chances.”
City equalised 11 minutes into the second half when Mario Vrancic chipped a ball deep to Pukki who pulled back for Cantwell to score his first senior Norwich goal, after joining the club aged 10. Cantwell, who spent last season on loan at Fortuna Sittard, then delivered the perfect diagonal cross to meet 18-year-old full back Aarons’ superb run and deft finish.
Pukki wrapped up the win with a simple finish after Marco Stiepermann unselfishly teed up the Finn for his 11th league goal of the season. TWO goals from Jarrod Bowen proved too great an obstacle for Queens Park Rangers and lifted Hull out of the bottom three.
The midfielder has never gone seven games without a goal in his young career and showed his versatility to ensure that boss Nigel Adkins has now won at Loftus Road with four different teams.
Adkins (right) said: “Jarrod hadn’t scored for a few weeks, so I said to him: ‘Just go out and enjoy a game of football.’ You could see he did that today. He worked his socks off for the team.
“It was a really entertaining game, but we’ve got a team that is so committed to the cause. The passion of the players is there for all to see and it has been for quite a while.
“It’s good to get an away victory, score three, so let’s enjoy that moment.”
Bowen lit the touch paper of a manic first half which had goals, penalty shouts and chances galore. The only surprise was that it wasn’t 4-4 at half-time.
There seemed no danger when Bowen collected the ball on the right until he cut inside and swept a low shot past Joe Lumley at his near