MATCH STATS LEEDS UNITED: Warner, Kelly, Crainey, Butler, Kilgallon, Lewis, Stone, Bakke, Derry, Healy, Horsfield. Subs: Westlake (for Bakke, 77), Gregan, Carole (for Healy, 68), Moore (for Crainey, 85), Blake. NORWICH CITY: Gallacher, Drury, Shackell, Doherty, Colin, Croft, Safri, Etuhu, Robinson, Huckerby, Earnshaw. Subs: Fleming, Thorne (for Colin, 82), McKenzie (for Croft, 57), McVeigh (for Robinson, 71), Lewis. SCORERS: Leeds: Healy (pen, 40) TOP CANARY: PinkUn: Jason Shackell PinkUn Poll: Dickson Etuhu (40%) ATTENDANCE: 22,417 REFEREE: G Laws (Tyne & Wear) ADDED TIME: First half: 2 mins Second half: 4mins YELLOW CARDS: Leeds: Healy (foul on Huckerby, 24), Butler (unsporting behaviour, 27) RED CARDS: None SHOTS ON TARGET: Leeds 3, Norwich 3 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Leeds 2, Norwich 4 CORNERS: Leeds 3, Norwich 4 FOULS:  Leeds 12, Norwich 17 OFFSIDES:  Leeds 5, Norwich 1

Saturday August 5, 2006
DAVID CUFFLEY

Birthday boy David Healy sent the Canaries crashing to defeat on the opening day of the Coca Cola Championship season at Elland Road — on an afternoon City debutant Lee Croft would probably rather forget.

Leeds striker Healy, celebrating his 27th birthday, scored the only goal from the penalty spot five minutes before half-time, but it was a reckless challenge by Croft that conceded the spot-kick.

Croft brought down Eirik Bakke when there seemed little danger following a cross by Gary Kelly.

The £600,000 signing from Manchester City was then substituted early in the second half after hobbling with what may have been cramp.

The Canaries produced their share of fluent football, especially in the first half when Robert Earnshaw was foiled by Leeds keeper Tony Warner, and also struck the woodwork.

Manager Nigel Worthington sent on three attacking substitutes after the break but to no avail.

Norwich City’s only summer signing, winger Lee Croft, was handed his debut in today’s opening Coca Cola Championship match of the season against Leeds United at Elland Road.

Manager Nigel Worthington had hinted during the week that the 21-year-old Croft, a £600,000 capture from Manchester City on Monday may not be match fit for the big kick-off.

But he took his place in a starting line-up that included only one out-and-out striker in Robert Earnshaw.

City included Dickson Etuhu, Youssef Safri and Carl Robinson in midfield, with Croft and Darren Huckerby given the wide roles.

Dutchman Jurgen Colin was, as expected, given the right-back role.

There was no place in the starting 11 for Paul McVeigh, Leon McKenzie and Peter Thorne, all of whom were on the bench with reserve keeper Joe Lewis and club captain Craig Fleming.

Norwich City new boy Lee Croft is chased by Leeds midfielder Shaun Derry.

Leeds, who were the beaten play-off finalists last season, named two new signings in their line-up.

Goalkeeper Tony Warner, on loan from Fulham, deputised for Scotland International Neil Sullivan, who was ruled out by a deadleg.

And Geoff Horsfield, signed on loan from Sheffield United until Christmas, was picked in attack alongside former Norwich loan striker David Healy.

Leeds had no goalkeeper on the bench, but included two more new signings among their substitutes — midfielder Ian Westlake from Ipswich and winger Seb Carole from Brighton.

The two sides came out to a rapturous reception despite big empty spaces in parts of the ground with the South Stand end, which Norwich were defending, completely empty. United kicked off, but City were soon pushing forward, and Croft got his first touch with a cross that was shut out by Bakke.

Leeds responded with Derry sending Kelly away on the right, and his cross was firmly controlled by Healy, who swivelled and sent a right-foot shot flashing past Gallacher’s left-hand post.

Gallacher had to come out smartly again a minute later to collect a cross from Crainey, with Healy homing in on goal. It was a busy start by Leeds and Colin was next to clear when he managed to get his head to a cross from Stone.

There was a hold up while Derry was treated following a foul by Robinson, who earned a lecture from referee Laws, but a date without a yellow card. From the resulting free-kick, Bakke floated the ball into the City area, but it drifted wide.

City had by far the best opening so far after six minutes when Huckerby intercepted a poor pass from Derry, and sprinted away, slipping the ball to Earnshaw, but with a golden opportunity, the striker’s shot was smothered by the advancing Warner.

City won a free-kick when Earnshaw was fouled by Bakke, and Huckerby floated the ball towards Earnshaw, but his glancing header was well wide.

Huckerby was involved again after nine minutes when he played a one-two with Earnshaw, but scuffed his right-foot effort a long way wide.

Croft was getting little change out of Crainey in the early stages, and City were channelling more of their attacks down the left-hand side through Huckerby. Earnshaw gained possession just inside the Leeds half and attempted to set Croft away, but the winger had strayed offside by the time the pass was made.

Leeds gained another free-kick in a dangerous position on the right side of the box when Shackell was adjudged to have barged Healy from behind. But the big defender was in the right place to head clear when Lewis floated his kick towards the far post.

With 20 minutes gone City fashioned a neat passing movement, keeping possession with around 15 passes, before Doherty played a poor ball forward, which went straight out of touch.

A cross was thwarted once again by the offside flag as the Canaries attempted to launch another attack.

Another neat passing movement saw Safri and Robinson combine to present Earnshaw with an opening, but he poked the ball just off target with his right foot.

A fine tackle from Drury robbed Healy and as Huckerby burst clear, he was brought down by Healy who was shown the yellow card, the first of the afternoon.

With 25 minutes gone Earnshaw came within a whisker of giving the Canaries the lead with a curling right-foot shot, following a one-two with Drury, which clipped the outside of the post. Drury took a nasty knock in supplying the returned pass, and Butler was booked for the challenge.

Drury was able to swiftly return to action, no doubt encouraged by his team-mates’ improved showing over the previous ten minutes.

The Canaries won their first corner when Huckerby set off on a diagonal run, fed Croft, and the winger’s return pass was cut out by a Leeds defender. The Canaries were able to make nothing from the flag-kick, however, and Leeds quickly counter-attacked with Doherty having to head clear deep in his own territory.

Doherty was on hand moments later with a timely clearance, giving Leeds a corner of their own, but they were similarly wasteful.

Another cross from Croft was cut out by Kilgallon, but in the next City attack Huckerby was only inches away from finding Robinson as Warner dashed out to collect.

The home side came very close to breaking the deadlock after 32 minutes when Safri fouled Horsfield on the edge of the area. Lewis floated in the free-kick and Derry produced an acrobatic volley which Gallacher did extremely well to tip over the bar.

Norwich swept forward and Huckerby found Etuhu on the edge of the area, the midfielder slipping the ball to the right to find Croft, whose right-foot shot was only inches wide.

It was all action now, and Healy weaved his way into the Norwich area, where his low drive was turned away by Gallacher and Derry, following up, could only lift the rebound over the bar.

Healy actually had the ball in the net nine minute before the break, but the linesman’s flag had already ruled him offside.

A surging run through the middle by Croft took him to the edge of the Leeds area where he found Robinson to his left, but the midfielder’s cross was headed clear just before it could get to Earnshaw.

The Canaries’ bright spell was rudely interrupted when Leeds went in front from the penalty spot after 40 minutes.

David Healy celebrates putting Leeds in front from the penalty spot.

A cross from the right by Kelly did not appear likely to cause too much of a problem, but on the far side of the area debutant Croft produced a reckless tackle on Bakke, and the referee pointed straight to the spot.

Ex-Canary Healy placed the spot-kick low to Gallacher’s right and just out of his reach to send the home crowd into raptures.

It was a bitter blow for City, who had begun to look much more composed as the half wore on.

As the first half moved into time added on City won another corner, but Drury’s flag-kick was easily gathered by Warner.

Croft was the culprit again when he conceded a free-kick by bringing down Horsfield, and the ball was played wide to Healy, but his cross was headed clear by Etuhu.

As City broke again, Huckerby was just inches away from finding the head of Robinson with another centre into the six-yard box.

Half-time: Leeds United 1, Norwich City 0

Two minutes after the break Earnshaw proved that he was as alert as ever when his curling right-foot effort from 20 yards had to be tipped over the top by Warner at the expense of a corner.

Doherty managed to get a toe on the end of Drury’s flag-kick, but knocked the ball harmlessly wide.

City won a free-kick ten yards outside the box when Huckerby was fouled, Safri chipping the dead ball kick towards Doherty, who nodded on to Earnshaw, only for Warner to beat the City striker in the air.

The Canaries were awarded another free-kick when Bakke upended Robinson on the halfway line, but they again failed to make anything of the opportunity, and as Leeds counterattacked Safri was penalised for a foul on Horsfield.

Seven minutes after the break, Etuhu, who was enjoying a busy afternoon, broke down the right and played in Croft, whose centre was met by a firm header from Earnshaw, but Warner was equal to his effort.

Leeds were a whisker away from extending their lead when a cross-field ball by Crainey picked out Stone. His centre across the six-yard box was only fractionally too strong for Healy, lurking at the far post.

The Canaries began to warm up their three attacking substitutes at this stage with Croft starting to hobble a little, possibly from the effects of cramp.

Sure enough, Worthington made his first change of the afternoon after 56 minutes when McKenzie was sent on in place of new signing Croft.

Healy, celebrating his 27th birthday today, was eager to add to his tally, and Etuhu had to be alert to clear from inside the six-yard box when the striker threatened again.

Gallacher reacted angrily in the next Leeds attack to a challenge from Stone after he had come out bravely to collect, and in the argument that followed, Horsfield became involved with the referee eventually calling Gallacher and Horsfield together to calm things down.

McKenzie was keen to get into the action but spoiled a promising move when Earnshaw completely failed to read his path into the area.

With 64 minutes gone, Safri decided to try his luck from long range, but his effort sailed harmlessly past Warner’s left-hand post.

Safri was making one or two timely interceptions, and following one such tackle, he sent Huckerby clear on the left, and Kelly was forced to concede a corner.

Huckerby took the corner, but Warner was out to punch clear as City again failed to make the most of a dead ball opportunity.

Midway through the second half Leeds made their first change when new signing Carole was sent on in place of Healy, and the goalscorer left the field to a huge ovation.

Drury then produced a tremendous block to prevent Leeds extending their lead. Lewis crossed from the left and Carole looked set to mark his debut with an early goal, but his volley was brilliantly blocked by the City skipper.

With 20 minutes remaining City made their second change when McVeigh came on in place of Robinson.

A curling cross from the left by Crainey gave Gallacher cause for concern as he jumped at the far post with Butler, but neither player managed to make contact, and the ball drifted out for a goal-kick.

As the Canaries went forward again Drury played a one-two with Huckerby, and fed McVeigh, but the substitute took too long teeing up his shot and the danger was cleared.

Bakke tried to find a way through with a long ball aimed at Horsfield, but Shackell was alert and was able to guide it back to Gallacher, who was now being booed every time he touched the ball following his argument with Stone.

Leeds made another change with 14 minutes left when former Ipswich player Westlake was sent on for his debut in place of Bakke.

Leeds went close again when Lewis headed narrowly over from a cross by Carole but the American was adjudged to have pushed Colin in the back.

City threw caution to the wind with nine minutes left when Thorne became their third substitution, replacing Colin, who had produced a fairly solid performance against Lewis all afternoon.

As time ticked away for the Canaries, there was a further delay when Leeds’ defender Kilgallon needed treatment for a bang on the head. It enabled both sides to take a welcome drink break that probably did Norwich no favours.

With just over five minutes to go the home side made their final change with Moore replacing Crainey.

City kept pushing forward and Earnshaw was unlucky with a right-foot shot that flashed just wide after an astute pass by McVeigh.

With less than two minutes to go Safri was penalised for a foul on Stone, a challenge in which he appeared to come off the worst.

With four minutes added on, City made one last attempt to get on terms, and Thorne was agonisingly close to getting on the end of a cross from Huckerby.

Result: Leeds United 1, Norwich City 0