I haven’t any doubt that every Boro fan supports a
Three-year contract extension for our ‘keeper, Big Mark Schwarzer,
There were rumours and stories about remuneration,
And the news brought relief after much great speculation.

Carrow Road is the venue and the afternoon’s still,
And the hosts have, of late, been going quickly downhill,
They’re the Premiership’s “Whipping Boys,” or so it’s been said,
So, surely, the Boro Boys can put them to bed?

Many say ‘The Canaries’ are certs for the drop,
But that’s too premature and well over the top,
We must help them to pay the ultimate price,
For, today, just a good Boro win will suffice.

A great early ball found Parlour in space,
And the strike by Doriva was not a disgrace,
It bounced out to McMahon, who did not pass the buck,
When he fired one from range and was just out of luck.

Norwich, to be truthful, don’t defend with conviction,
When a mix-up, then a corner, brings a little hint of friction,
A great strike by Doriva from twenty-times-one yard,
Missed the goal by just inches and the upright was charred.

A ball from Reiziger out to Downing, was absolutely brilliant,
Then we all saw ‘keeper Green at his peak: so resilient,
Downing took advantage of a slight misunderstanding,
To bring from Green a great save that was simply outstanding.

As Jimmy’s ball is goalwards’ bound it takes a slight deflection,
Which brings a Boro corner that Downing places to perfection,
This leads to one great scramble and the home defence is shocking,
But we cannot take advantage though the hosts are really rocking.

Drury brings great danger and hears from Boro fans a ‘phew,’
As he feeds a ball to Ashton, playing in his home debut,
He flashed the ball just wide and we were feeling quite morose,
As it missed by only inches, but, my goodness, it was close!

Queudrue’s miscued header found Huckerby running like a deer,
And the price we’d have to pay was immediately crystal clear,
With Francis unmarked at the back, we went to sleep for once,
A tremor was felt by Boro fans, who demand a swift response.

Yellow cards were hoisted against two of Boro’s reds,
They were French Franck and Ray Parlour: now we need to clear our heads,
Jimmy had a powder-puff attempt on City’s goal,
But the finishing by the Boro has been awful, on the whole.

It was then the turn of Jimmy to show a huge smile of delight,
To bring the score-line level and hopefully whet his appetite,
It was goalwards’ bound from Downing; of that there is no doubt,
But Jimmy’s flick ensured a goal that he knew not much about.

So, an exciting, entertaining half, ends as a one-one draw,
But, having got the one goal, surely there must be even more?
If Boro go for broke and restore the balance on the right,
The goals could flow and thereby add to City’s woeful plight.

----------

Doriva’s work is done now, though he’d not underachieved,
And room was found for Morrison, as had earlier been perceived,
That gives us better balance and he can certainly excite,
Then hopefully we will benefit from his service from the right.

Southgate cleared to Morrison and his run was simply splendid,
A great ball went to Bolo: the result was unintended,
It went above the crossbar, which he found a bit upsetting,
But the ref. ruled a deflection had sent the ball on to the netting.

Downing took a corner, which was, as usual, perfection,
And the illuminated scoreboard has a far better complexion,
Franck’s leap was quite majestic and with a mighty header steered,
The ball well wide of ‘keeper Green, and how the Boro fans cheered.

With absolute precision the ball into the net was tucked,
And the sorry yellow Canaries had been well and truly plucked,
Franck may well have been at fault when the Boro first conceded,
But all that’s now forgotten with that goal, so sorely needed.

McMahon got a yellow with the ball moved ten yards’ nearer,
So the price paid by the Boro, may now be that much dearer,
But we managed to survive and continued undeterred,
And Queudrue quickly managed to notch up the Boro’s third.

Downing was once more involved and he worked his bit of magic,
Which led to Big Franck’s second: no doubt for Norwich it was tragic,
The corner picked out Southgate and he got the vital flick,
And he sought out the Frenchman standing unmarked on’t back stick.

The Canaries now look down and out: as if they’ve all been clubbed,
And change is quickly brought as two of theirs are swiftly subbed,
Dean Ashton oft brought danger and kept Schwarzer occupied,
With one header, in particular, and another inches wide.

Morrison for Job is Boro’s change of personnel,
Then Jimmy found the target and things are going oh, so well!
Fleming gave the kick away and it’s precisely ‘Jimmy Distance,’
And he obliged – it’s now 4-1 – and the end of their resistance?

Surely a three-goal lead would be totally unassailable,
Looking at City’s league spot and the men they have available?
The Canaries, though, had different thoughts, though our defending was lamentable,
They came back at us to draw 4-4 to complete a total miracle.

Ashton got their second goal with Boro in a frenzy,
Then number three was scrambled in by the diminutive McKenzie,
With added time fast running out and McClaren red with fury,
The sickening equaliser came, courtesy of that man, Drury.

With only minutes left to play the Boro seemed to be cruising,
Then we were left hanging by a thread from one almighty bruising,
They were totally dead and buried with their fans all dewy-eyed,
Until the unbelievable happened and we’d committed suicide.

The Canaries had deserved it for their wondrous show of passion,
And the wheels came off the Boro in the most spectacular fashion,
The chances we created were, in numbers, quite tremendous,
Then the last eleven minutes were, in truth, really horrendous.

I’d like to be a fly on the Boro’s dressing-room walls,
And watching Steve McClaren kicking lots and lots of balls,
Not those approved by the Premiership though I mean no impropriety,
But they’d be small, of different hues: the non-inflatable variety.

I later watched it on TV and still I can’t believe it,
As a Boro team with ambition allowed the Canaries to retrieve it,
It was thought that they’d “been plucked” then manager Worthington got wind,
And he might have even won it for we ended up being skinned.