A DISALLOWED second-half header from centre-back Michael Nelson was the closest City came to breaking the deadlock as they were held to a goalless draw by Walsall at Carrow Road.
Nelson was unmarked as he powered the ball into the net from Paul McVeigh's corner in the 63rd minute - but his celebrations were cut short by referee Russell Booth's whistle for an off-the-ball infringement. It is thought the referee blew for a foul by Grant Holt on Walsall keeper Rene Gilmartin.
It was a frustrating moment to cap a frustrating afternoon for the Canaries, who found a well-organised and determined Walsall side very difficult to break down as they held out for the first 0-0 draw featuring City for nearly a year.
And although City can point to a third successive clean sheet as a positive, their failure to maintain their record of scoring in every match so far this season ensured the Saddlers returned to the Midlands with a share of the spoils.
"There's no doubt it was a tough game," said Paul Lambert afterwards.
The City boss said he could understand the frustrations felt by fans at today's result: "Yes of course. The expectation and onus is on us to win every game we play here because of the crowd, but we've got to be able to handle that. Having said that since we've been here we've took seven points out of nine, which is not too bad."
Asked if he was concerned that City had created few chances in the game, he replied: "You've got to earn the right at times to get these chances - Walsall aren't going to come and sit and go 'right we're going to let Norwich do what they want'. They are a tough, tough team, I played them last year with Colchester so I know exactly what Chris Hutchings has worked there and it was a tough game.
Regarding the disallowed goal Lambert added: "I couldn't see. I don't think the foul was given against Michael but it might have been beforehand I'd have to see it again.
"I always say if you're not going to go out and win a game then make sure you don't lose, make sure you get a point. There are some positives from today - another clean sheet was one and not losing was another."
There goes referee Russell Booth's whistle to signal City's first goalless draw since September 27 last year, almost a a year ago, when we drew 0-0 at Oakwell against Barnsley. It does mean a third successive clean sheets. The Anglian Home Improvements Man of the Match is awarded to Jens Berthel Askou. Full credit must go to a resolute and well organised Walsall side though, they defended well, an epitomy of the two banks of four, making them difficult to break down. The Reserves are in action on Tuesday night here at Carrow Road (7.30pm) against Southend United in the first match of the Totesport.com Combination - East Division.
90+1 - Paul Lambert urging his troops on, taking the ball from Walsall's assistant manager Martin O'Connor to speed things up for a City throw-in.
90th- Successive throw-ins yield a corner for City. The fourth official indicates we'll have three minutes of injury time. An important defensive header clears Lappin's corner.
87th - Free-kick to Walsall, 35 yards out out and Matt Richards makes a mess of it. Askou was adjudged to be holding Parkin, although there was a fair amount of backing-in going on but Richards looked wide for Peter Till but misplaced his pass and out it rolls for a goal kick.
86th - Darren Byfield is replaced by Alex Nicholls for the visitors.
85th - Forster down smartly at his near post to cut out a cross from the right. City straight up the other end but Otsemobor's cross is blocked and Gilmartin can claim at his near post.
81st - City pressure but the final ball is lacking. Hughes picks up a partial clearance, takes a touch out of his feet, lines one up but his wide doesn't trouble Rene Gilmartin in the Walsall goal. Not much has troubled either 'keeper today.
78th - Sam Parkin replaces Troy Deeney in attack for Walsall.
74th - Cody McDonald does well to win a corner. Before it can be taken Darel Russell is brought on for Korey Smith. Lappin swings the kick in but it comes to nothing.
70th - Cody McDonald powers into the Walsall box and the crowd bays for a penalty as they feel he is held back by Manny Smith. The referee is unmoved and though McDonald gets his shot away it is blocked.
69th - "C
68th - The attendance at Carrow Road today is 23,041.
65th - Jamie Cureton is replaced by Cody McDonald and Luke Daley comes on for Paul McVeigh.
63rd - Controversy as Michael Nelson wheels away in delight, having powered home a header from McVeigh's corner - but referee Russell Booth blows for some kind of infringement. Your reporter is none the wiser as to what this was despite watching a replay. Possibly a push?
62nd - Better by City as Adam Drury wins their third corner in as many minutes.
61st - Another corner for McVeigh - again it's headed clear by the solid-looking Walsall defence.
60th - A superb ball from deep from McVeigh nearly gets Holt in. City keep up the pressure with a corner - but the flag-kick is easily cleared.
57th - City go as close as they've come to breaking the deadlock. Grant Holt nods McVeigh's cross down into the danger area and Walsall only scramble it clear as far as Simon Lappin - but after some good footwork the Scot drags a 14-yard shot wide of the far post.
52nd - "G
50th - Darren Byfield gets the better of Michael Nelson, but from a tight angle blazes a low shot wide...in fact it goes for a throw-in.
50th - Simon lappin cuts in from the left and hits a well-struck shot from the corner of the box which Gilmartin dives to claim.
47th - It's Holt again, this time getting on the end of Otsemobor's deep free-kick but his downward header is comfortably saved by Gilmartin.
46th - Grant Holt nearly gets City off to the perfect start when he is close to getting on to the end of Cureton's low pass into the box, but makes a mess of his attempted backheel.
46th - Walsall get the second half underway and you wonder whether City's players emerged from the tunnel with their ears still burning from whatever Paul Lambert's input was at half-time.
Half-time: That's half-time and a challenging half for City against a Walsall team which is well-organised and for the most part happy to soak up City pressure and look to counter at the other end. Interesting to see how City go about trying to break them down in the second half.
45th +2 - Paul McVeigh ends a decent City attack with an ambitious left-foot curler from 25 yards which goes wide.
45th - Two minutes of time added on will be played.
42nd - After taking an active part in a City attack Adam Drury requires lengthy treatment after an accidental clash of heads with Darryl Westlake. He gets a warm ovation as he eventually heads for the touchline with a noticeable bump on his cheek and rubbing his neck and jaw gingerly. A nasty one but Adam's back out there.
39th - Cureton's glancing header from Michael Nelson's cross nearly falls to Grant but he just can't connect - in the next attack McVeigh nods the ball down and Cureton hits a difficult shot on the turn which goes wide.
35th - Byfield has a decent chance but send a firm header just over as he gets on the end of a cross from skipper Mattis.
32nd - City at last bring the crowd to life with a decent spell of quick and incisive passing which suddenly has Walsall looking nervous. A good spell though no direct threat on the Saddlers' goal.
28th - Forster is quick off his line, after a back header from Nelson doesn't have enough pace and the Hexham-born stopper is down at the feet of Byfield. Forster isn't the kind of 'keeper that stays on his line, he has a high starting position allowing him to act a sweeper-keeper.
27th - Referee Booth just having a word with Walsall midfielder Richard Taundry who catches Korey Smith late on the touchline.
26th - "Sounds like Walsall edging the contest, need a bit more control of the ball and dictate the pace of the match." - ankles50 - The game has settled down now after both teams had a spell of dominating preceedings, it's hardly been a classic thus far.
25th - "
22nd - Good piece of skill from striker Troy Deeney sees the striker beat Nelson, but he shoots over, perhaps should have at least forced Forster into a save from the edge of the area.
21st - Worrying moment as Adam Drury stays down after a challenge but it looks like the left-back is going to be fine.
20th - "
19th - City force a corner on the left, good hold-up play from Holt, sees him feed Lappin wide and his attempted cross is blocked. McVeigh over to take. Corner taken short to Cureton, who turns and his cross is too deep, Holt retrieves over on the far touchline, plays it back to Lappin and with the crowd urging him on to shot, the Scot obliges from 30 yards but over the bar.
17th - An even start by all accounts, City started off the brighter with better possession and territory but Walsall have worked their way back in and have had the best of the latter minutes.
16th - "H
15th - "
14th - Pressure from the visitors, Forster punches a cross clear, a blocked shot on the edge of the area, but they keep it alive and captain Dwayne Mattis heads over from another cross.
12th - Walsall work their first opening of the match, Darren Byfield latches on to fellow striker Troy Deeney flick-on but the former Aston Villa striker's half-volley flashes across goal and out for a throw-in.
6th - From the goal kick, Nelson goes down holding his head and Booth stops play to allows physio Simon Spencer on to check over the former Hartlepool defender. He leaves the pitch as he must do by law after receiving treatment but is straight back on to head the next ball forward clear.
4th - Askou clears away a cross from the Walsall left, Lappin picks up the pieces and looks long down the left channel for Holt, who gets a nudge in the back and referee Russell Booth sprinting to keep up with play, well trying to anyway, awards City a free-kick. Lappin's delivery from the left is cleared to the edge of the area but met on the half-volley with superb technic by McVeigh, but it jus rises over the bar.
2nd - As we were marvelling at the size of on-loan defender Clayton McDonald at the heart of the Walsall defence, he slices a clearance behind for a corner. Jens Berthel Askou beaten to the corner but it goes for another. McVeigh to take. Apparently McDonald is 6 foot 6. Askou does meet this corner but stabs his effort wide.
1st - City get us underway here at Carrow Road, Paul McVeigh and Jamie Cureton kick-off, the ball goes back and is played long up to Grant Holt on the left but Darryl Westblake wins the header.
Here comes the players and the handshakes follow. Paul Crichton having a last minute word in the goalmouth with on-loan goalkeeper Fraser Forster, as he prepares for his home City debut.
The big question today is can City record their third consecutive win for the first time since January-February 2008, when we beat Southampton (A), Preston North End (H) and Cardiff City (A) - remember that fantastic strike from on-loan striker Ched Evans? Three consecutive clean sheets are up for grabs as well. The last time that feat was achieved was started the game before by a goalless draw at home to Leicester City, then the 1-0 win over Southampton, Evans with the goal and then Darel Russell's injury-time half-volley at Carrow Road, 1-0 win over Preston.
On-loan goalkeeper Ben Alnwick has returned to parent club Tottenham Hotspur for treatment on a hip injury. Midfielders Matt Gill and Owain Tudur Jones remain sidelined and Rhoys Wiggins has started full training, having signed with a knee injury. Plenty of pace on the bench today with Chris Martin, Luke Daley and Cody McDonald as attacking options. Youth team products Darel Russell and Tom Adeyemi provide competition in the centre of the park from the bench and Michael Spillane covering the defensive angles. Walsall include former Ipswich Town defender/midfielder Matt Richards in their side and former Aston Villa trainee striker Darren Byfield in attack. Imposing experienced goalkeeper Clayton Ince is on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago and midfielder Mark Bradley played in Wales Under-21 victory over their Italian counterparts last night at the Liberty Stadium.
Team News from Carrow Road - Paul Lambert reverts back to the side that beat Hartlepool United in the league a week ago:
CITY: Forster, Otsemobor, Drury, Nelson, Hughes, Holt (c), Cureton (McDonald 65), McVeigh (Daley 65), Lappin, Smith (Russell 74), Askou. Subs not used: Rudd (GK), Spillane, Martin, Adeyemi.
Walsall: Gilmartin, Smith, Mattis (c), Deeney (Parkin 78), Taundry, Westlake, Till, Vincent, Richards, Byfield (Nicholls 86), McDonald. Subs not used : Cooney (GK), Weston, Sansara, Jones, O'Keefe.
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