Jonatan Johansson’s 89th minute winner secured all three points for Norwich, three minutes after coming on, in the Championship just under 15 years ago!

Norwich City 2-1 Stoke City
March 4, 2006
Carrow Road
Championship

What was on the line?

Norwich were looking to bounce back up to the Premier League having been relegated from the topflight the previous season. The first half of the season hadn’t quite gone according to plan partly thanks to an opening month of three points from six games.

The Canaries were as low as 23rd at the start of September but recovered to climb to mid-table, eventually breaking into the top half following five straight wins in December. However, the start of 2006 brought another run of six games without a win.

Nevertheless, by the start of March, Norwich were 12th in the league going into this fixture. Stoke were looking to build on 2004-05’s mid-table finish but had one just one of the ten games prior to this match.

huddle v stoke 06.jpg

How the game unfolded

Following a quiet first half, Norwich fans were given something to cheer about when Leon McKenzie scored from a narrow angle in the 52nd minute.

However, the lead didn’t last long. Gary Doherty fouled Sammy Bangoura on the edge of the area and Stoke were awarded a free-kick.

Paul Gallagher buried it for his tenth goal of the season to equalise in the 58th minute.

Potters manager Johan Boskamp threw on Peter Sweeney for Gallagher in an attempt to shut up shop with ten minutes to go, before the Canaries made two attacking substitutions.

On came Dickson Etuhu for Andy Hughes and Johansson for McKenzie in the 85th and 86th minute respectively.

Talk about making an impact off the bench - Johansson was given a tap-in by Paul McVeigh in the 89th minute to undo Stoke’s defensive hard work!

City XI: Green, Doherty, Fleming, Shackell, Charlton, Hughes (Etuhu 85’), Robinson, Earnshaw, Huckerby, McKenzie (Johansson 86’), McVeigh
Unused substitutes: Gallacher, Henderson, Colin

mckenzie v stoke.jpg

What happened next?

Norwich had a mixed run of form to end the season, missing out on the playoffs but rising to ninth in the division.

Four points behind, Stoke finished 13th before the Tony Pulis era took them to the Premier League within two seasons.

Memorable Match: Norwich City 2-1 Stoke City

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