Fulham started this top of the table Avon Insurance Combination League fixture with a seemingly perfect blend of youth an experience.
Simon Morgan and Paul Trollope were joined in defence by young stars Mark Hudson and Zesh Rehman, whilst in the middle, Terry Phelan found himself playing alongside former England U15 star Malik Buari, Zat Knight and U17 star Eddie McClements.
Norwich had the first chance of the match after a neat move down Fulham's left-hand side gave fullback Darren Kenton the chance of an early shot on target. Three minutes later Fulham put together a superb string of passes but this ended when Rehman needlessly gave the ball away - and from the resulting break Canaries striker Zema Abbey hit the crossbar with a powerful shot.
The best move of the first half came on 13 minutes when a great shimmy and pass from Dane Peter Moller sent away young strike partner Calum Willock, but the move came to an untimely end after an appalling offside decision from the linesman.
Four minutes later, and with Fulham now slowly starting to take control of the game, Knight fired in a superb cross that was met by the flying head of the impressive Willock whose effort cannoned off the crossbar.
Willock then returned Moller’s earlier compliment with a great one-touch flick that sent away Fulham’s Danish International striker. As Moller jinked inside the penalty area he was unceremoniously brought down from behind and referee Hegley had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, sending off City’s McGovern for his troubles.
The Dane then despatched the penalty with a low hard drive into the bottom right hand corner of the net to give Fulham the lead.
As a spectacle, the game died from that moment. Many feel that officials should show a little leniency in reserve games and this promising match would certainly have benefited if all 22 participants were allowed to have stayed on the field. However, Norwich did manage to level the scores before finally bolting down the shutters after a well saved free kick was bundled over Keeper’ Thompson’s line on 37 minutes.
The second half was a drab affair in comparison. The same linesman who gave Moller offside when he was clearly a yard on - then allowed a City striker to continue his run toward goal after quite clearly being 3 or 4 yards off when the ball was played. At this stage this particular official was looking well and truly out of his depth.
On 62 minutes Paul Read and Elvis Hammond replaced the hard working Morgan and Buari. Moments later Hammond supplied Willock whose cross come shot was easily cut out by Green in the City goal. Willock then fired in a powerful shot that was tipped onto the crossbar. Peter Moller hit the re-bound toward goal, this was blocked and Zat Knight's effort was finally gathered safely. Eddie McClement then had an effort on target before Moller wasted the best chance of the second half somehow managing to fire over the bar from just 8 yards out.
The Norwich defence can be pleased with their well-earned and deserved point - although Steve Kean will perhaps have liked his side to have got out of first gear during the second half. All in all, most felt the game would have been entirely different had the sending off not occurred.
Fulham
: Glyn Thompson, Zesh Rehman, Paul Trollope, Simon Morgan, Mark Hudson, Zat Knight, Mailk Buari, Eddie McClements, Peter Moller, Calum Willock.
Subs used: Paul Read and Elvis Hammond for Simon Morgan and Malik Buari.
Not used: James Bittner, Adam Green, Stuart Noble.
Source Fulham fc