Football: FLAPPING CANARIES GROUNDED

TWO of the First Division's top three teams failed to provide the TV cameras with a goal - and offered up little in the way of quality entertainment.

There was no shortage of effort and commitment, as you would expect from two sides going for promotion, but the final ball and the finishing weren't up to scratch.

The result means Leicester stay in second and Norwich in third, but they have both lost ground at the top on League leaders Portsmouth.

Leicester boss Micky Adams said beforehand that he was preparing his team for their toughest test of the season against a team equally high on confidence.

Norwich received a boost when skipper Iwan Roberts took the field after being described as only 50-50 to make the starting line-up.

With fourth-placed Forest winning at Millwall, Norwich knew they couldn't afford any slip-ups against a Leicester team who would not be sitting back.

The visitors made that clear very early on as Brian Deane glanced a header goal-wards after an expert delivery by Frank Sinclair.

Neil Emblen became the first player to be booked after just two minutes, although the challenge was clumsy rather than malicious by the Norwich man.

Gerry Taggart followed Emblen into the book after 10 minutes, and this time there were no arguments as the tackle on David Nielsen was both ill-timed and crude.

Alan Rogers plunged Norwich hearts into mouths with a superb drilled cross which both Deane and Paul Dickov were within inches of converting.

The home side, as you would expect, were busy and eager to take the game to Leicester, but the visitors were always a threat on the counter-attack with the pace of Dickov.

The aerial presence of Deane also caused Norwich problems, although the end product from both sides, in truth, was nothing to write home about.

Sinclair almost e m b a r r a s s e d himself and his goalkeeper when he sent a back-pass beyond the advancing Ian Walker but recovered quickly to clear the danger himself.

After a scrappy spell, during which both teams forgot to add quality to their commitment, Norwich almost took the lead seven minutes before the break.

Paul McVeigh put the Leicester defence on the back foot after Matt Elliott had conceded possession.

And the Norwich forward's dipping shot almost left Walker red- faced.

Nielsen then tried his luck from similar range, and this time forced Walker into a diving save which was anything but comfortable.

S c o w c r o f t used his aerial power to good effect five minutes after the break, and the ever-alert Dickov almost capitalised.

With the game so evenly balanced it was going to take something special to separate the two teams - and you began to wonder if it would ever happen.

Scowcroft again tried to provide the spark after 57 minutes, but his shot from long range took a deflection on its way through to keeper Robert Green, who did what was expected.

Midway through the second half, Leicester sent the big guns up for a sequence of corners from which you felt they might make a breakthrough.

From the first of them Taggart had a header deflected narrowly wide, and then sent a second header over the bar moments later.

As Taggart clutched his face following his second effort, the easier of two, he knew a golden opportunity had gone begging.

The Irishman then hauled his huge frame forward for yet another Leicester corner after 65 minutes, but once again his header failed to find the target.

Four minutes later Green saved well from Sinclair, and within a minute was called into action again to keep out an Elliott volley which lacked direction and real power.

Taggart then sent his umpteenth header wide of the goal from yet another Leicester corner, and the frustration was beginning to show.

Phil Mulryne had a shot deflected wide for Norwich late on, and from the corner Gary Holt sent a dipping volley at goal which rippled the top of the net.

MAN OF THE MATCH DARREN KENTON

Young defender was near-faultless.

NORWICH: Green 7, Nedergaard 6, Drury 6, KENTON 8, Mackay 7, Mulryne 6, Holt 6, Emblen 7 (Southall 5), McVeigh 6, Nielsen 7, Roberts 6.

LEICESTER: Walker 7, Sinclair 6, Davidson 6, Elliott 7, Taggart 7, Rogers 6, Izzet 6, McKinlay 6, Deane 6, Dickov 6, Scowcroft 7.

MANAGERS: Worthington 7; Adams 7.

REFEREE: M Dean 6.

ATTENDANCE: 20,952

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