DESPITE an exciting second half in which both sides struck the woodwork and plenty of chances were created and spurned, City were held to a goalless draw by a combative Scunthorpe side at Carrow Road.

After Sparrow's deflected effort had bounced off the foot of City's post, substitute Chris Martin was a whisker away from a glorious winner for Peter Grant's side with an great shot which crashed off the inside of the post and away in the 70th minute.

City boss Peter Grant returned to a 4-4-2 starting formation as he looked to bounce back from Saturday's hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Dion Dublin returned from suspension to get the captain's armband - and a start up fron alongside Jamie Cureton.

In midfield youngster Rossi Jarvis partnered Darel Russell in the centre with Darren Huckerby on the left and Lee Croft given the nod on the right flank. In defence Ian Murray played with Gary Doherty in the centre, with Adam Drury on the left and Jon Otsemobor on the right.

Before the game a Norwich side determined to stop the recent rot had a team huddle against a backdrop of noisy and passionate support from the City faithful.

Tentative opening exchanges saw no early scares for either side, but the visitors picked up the game's first booking in the seventh minute when Byrne was cautioned by referee Kevin Friend for a clumsy challenge on Huckerby.

Newly-promoted Scunthorpe showed why they occupied sixth position in the table at beginning of play with a composed start during which they steadily applied pressure on the Norwich defence without seriously threatening Marshall in the Norwich goal.

Huckerby was City's main outlet but a trademark run across the edge of the Scunthorpe box in the 18th minute just failed to pay dividends when he fractionally overhit an attempted pass inside which threatened to put Cureton in.

There was a cautious edge to City's play at this stage, though as the game passed 20 minutes they did at last begin to apply some pressure of their own through using the width provided by Croft and Huckerby.

In the 24th minute a deep ball from the left from Russell was chested down by Dublin, but the big man's low first-time shot from 16 yards was blocked by the out-stretched leg of Butler.

The Iron replied with a speculative Hurst drive from 25 yards on the half-hour mark which was comfortably held by Marshall.

The Barclay fans were baying in vain for a penalty on 38 minutes when there appeared to be the strong suggestion of a push by Youga on Croft as he chased a lobbed pass from Dublin into the box, but the referee was unmoved.

Two minutes later Dublin powered his way through the visiting defence to get his head to a Jarvis corner but planted his effort well wide under pressure.

Play switched to the other end and there was a let-off for City when Doherty slipped at a crucial moment allowing Forte in behind him, but the Scunthorpe forward dragged his low shot from the edge of the area wide of Marshall's left-hand post.

Half-time: Norwich City 0, Scunthorpe United 0

At the break Scunthorpe made a change, Byrne replaced by Iriekpen.

The Canaries started brightly and carved out a chance two minutes after the restart when a rasping drive from Jarvis was held by Murphy after Cureton knocked down Huckerby's cross from the left.

In the 55th minute a deep cross from the left from Drury saw Dublin rise under pressure from two United defenders, but he got under his header and it looped up and over the crossbar.

Two minutes later City came closer as a lovely interchange between Cureton and Croft saw the former Man City winger pick out Huckerby on the left-hand side of the area. The City star took a touch then blasted a half-volley goalwards which Murphy dived to his left to palm to safety.

In the 67th minute there was a hearts in mouths moment for Norwich when Hayes knocked the ball down in the City box and Sparrow's shot took a wicked deflection before spinning on to the foot of the post and away with Marshall stranded.

Two minutes later there was warm applause for Chris Martin as the young City striker came on for Jamie Cureton.

And he almost made a spectacular instant impression when he picked up a throw from Otsemobor 22 yards out and swivelled to hit a howitzer of a shot which beat Murphy but cannoned back to safety off the inside of the post.

Former Norwich striker Paul Hayes was replaced in the 72nd minute by Ben May for Scunthorpe.

At the other end Cleveland Taylor was left with his head in his hands when he headed horribly wide from six yards out after being well picked out by Forte's chip from the right.

United's Andrew Butler inexplicably decided to let Doherty's deep ball from defence bounce past him on the edge of the area in the 76th minute and allowed Dublin to nip in behind and intercept - but the veteran turned his hooked shot wide of the near post.

As the game began to open up Scunthorpe went close themselves in the 79th minute as Goodwin met Hurst's corner with a first time effort which Dublin slid in superbly to deflect over the bar.

Within a minute City responded as Doherty met Dublin's excellent nod down with a hooked left-foot effort that curled wide of the far post.

In the 81st minute Ian Murray was cautioned for City after unfairly impeding Forte as the United forward threatened to break through. A minute later some Scunthorpe fans thought they had scored when Taylor crashed a shot from 22 yards into the side netting.

An exhilerating run in the 85th minute from Huckerby saw him brilliantly elude two Scunthorpe defenders only to be denied a wonderful goal by a superb save with his legs from Murphy.

As the clock ticked away Scunthorpe made their final change, Forte being replaced by Paterson.

GOLDEN GOAL: Tickets printed No Goals win £100

NORWICH: Marshall, Otsemobor, Drury, Huckerby, Croft, Dublin (C), Cureton (Martin 69), Murray, Russell, Jarvis, Doherty 
SUBS NOT USED: Gilks (GK), Brown, Lappin, Strihavka.

SCUNTHORPE: Murphy, Crosby (C), Byrne (Iriekpen 45), Sparrow, Goodwin, Hayes (May 72), Taylor, Youga, Butler, Forte, Hurst 
SUBS NOT USED: Lillis (GK), Cork.

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