Paul pecks at the Canaries

Last weekend, Jay Bothroyd was the toast of Ewood after his first Premiership goal for Blackburn Rovers sparked a gutsy comeback against Liverpool.

Seven days later, however, the former Arsenal and Coventry City star cut an entirely different figure as he trudged off the pitch at Carrow Road in disgrace after his moment of petulance had threatened to plunge Rovers into a fresh crisis.

Mark Hughes' side had begun the day firmly rooted to the foot of the Premiership and a sixth successive away defeat, this time at the hands of a Norwich side just one place above them in the table, was a setback too damaging to contemplate.

Just imagine then what went through Hughes' mind as Bothroyd needlessly got himself sent off for aiming a wild retaliatory kick at Norwich's Swedish midfielder Mattias Jonson with more than half of a delicately balanced game still to play?

That left Rovers staring down the barrel of a loaded gun and Hughes' day then went from bad to worse when Mathias Svensson volleyed the Canaries into a 56th minute lead.

But as long as you've got Paul Dickov in your corner then there's no such thing as a lost cause and the Scotland striker promptly sparked a Rovers revival, culminating in his dramatic late equaliser.

A point was a fitting reward for a stirring second half fightback but Rovers could and should have returned with all three had it not been for Bothroyd's sudden rush of blood.

When the 22-year-old first joined Rovers on a season-long loan from Perugia, he arrived with a reputation for having a suspect temperament - a tag that has stuck with him since he got kicked out of Arsenal as a teenager for throwing his shirt at the youth team coach, Don Howe.

In the intervening years he has worked hard to shed that bad boy image but for a split second on Saturday afternoon his demons came back to haunt him and Rovers nearly paid the price.

Bothroyd had arguably been the game's most lively performer when the red mist suddenly descended a minute before half time.

He and Jonson contested possession by the corner flag. As the Rovers striker attempted to shield the ball by using his body, the Swede tried to nick it back courtesy of two strong - but fair - challenges.

After the second of those, Bothroyd snapped and promptly kicked his opponent in retaliation, leaving referee Steve Dunn with no option but to send him off following a quick consultation with his two assistants.

As Bothroyd made the lonely walk back to the dressing room, Hughes looked on in utter disbelief as a week of meticulous preparation on the training ground got wiped out in a single stroke.

But, ironically, Bothroyd could find an unlikely ally in the Rovers manager when he shuffles in for training looking rather embarrassed today.

For Hughes himself was prone to the occasional eruption as a player and he too was sent off for a similar incident when Rovers last played on this ground four years ago.

With that in mind, he may show a little mercy when he calls Bothroyd into his office for a 'chat'.

Ultimately, though, the overwhelming theme of his message may well be 'do as I say, not do as I do' for Rovers simply cannot afford such moments of indiscipline at a time when they are scrapping for survival.

"I did a similar type of thing about 10 or 12 times in my career," admitted Hughes.

"I always knew whenever I got sent off circumstances sometimes dictated the reason behind it.

"Every one was different, but you understand in football that these things happen.

"It's unfortunate for Jay because at that point he was arguably the best player on the pitch for us.

"But you just can't retaliate like that."

Had Bothroyd kept his cool, I'm convinced Rovers would have gone to clinch only their second win of the season.

Even with 10 men, Hughes' side appeared to have the edge over a Norwich team that looks destined for a swift return to the Championship.

Tension filled the air in the build up to kick-off as both camps looked for the win they needed to boost their survival chances.

It was Norwich, however, who settled the quicker and they poured forward in numbers, searching for an early goal that would calm their nerves.

Svensson fired a warning when his fifth minute header cannoned off the top of the crossbar, then a crazy mix-up between Andy Todd and Nissa Johansson presented Jonson with a shooting chance only for the Swede to drag his effort wide of the far upright.

Unperturbed, Norwich continued to pick holes in a porous Rovers backline and Brad Friedel had to make two sharp saves from rangy midfielder Damien Francis.

As the half wore on, Rovers began to grow in stature as an attacking force and Bothroyd was the man causing all the problems.

He forced Robert Green into a fine save with a shot from distance, then the England keeper denied him again with an even better stop from similar range.

But just as Rovers were gaining a foothold, Bothroyd had his rush of blood and Norwich were gifted a way back.

Hughes no doubt had some stern words to say to his errant striker at half time and his mood darkened still further in the 56th minute as the home side broke the deadlock.

Adam Drury crossed from the left and, after a spell of head tennis involving Craig Fleming and Leon McKenzie, the ball eventually dropped invitingly for Svensson to ram a volley through Friedel's legs from eight yards out.

At that point, Norwich must have thought they were on course for their first Premiership win in nine years.

But Rovers - to their enormous credit - refused to admit defeat and dominated possession from that moment on.

Dickov was the catalyst for a courageous fightback as he took on the Norwich defence virtually single-handed, using every trick in the book to his advantage.

He scrapped for possession like a tiger and his tireless running meant the Canaries' jittery defence never got a moment's peace.

As the clock ticked away, Norwich retreated deeper and deeper, subconsciously deciding to protect what they had rather than seek the insurance of a second goal.

The alarm bells started ringing in the 81st minute when Johansson's thumping header from an Emerton corner crashed back off the crossbar.

Then in the 86th minute, Rovers finally got the break their perseverance so richly deserved.

Barry Ferguson played a quick free kick out to Lucas Neill on the right and the Aussie's pinpoint centre found Dickov lurking at the far post.

The Scotland striker didn't make the cleanest of contacts but he somehow managed to steer a header past Green and inside the post.

The relief was tangible in the Rovers camp, a point feeling more like three after they had played for so long with 10 men.

Norwich, on the other hand, knew they had blown their big chance to get that first elusive win on the board.

Maybe, just maybe, Rovers have struck the first major psychological blow in the battle to stay in the Premiership.

Norwich (4-4-2): Robert Green; Simon Edworthy, Adam Drury, Simon Charlton, Craig Fleming; Damien Francis, Gary Holt, Mattias Jonson, Darren Huckerby; Leon McKenzie, Mathias Svensson. Subs: Ian Hendersen (for Jonson, 46), McVeigh (for McKenzie, 80) Not used: Phil Mulryne, Thomas Helveg, Darren Ward

Referee: Mr S Dunn 8

Bookings: Norwich; Jonson Rovers; None

Sendings off: Bothroyd (Rovers) Violent conduct

Attendance: 23,834

Goals:

Norwich 1 Rovers 0 - Svensson, 56

Norwich 1 Rovers 1 - Dickov, 86