Norwich find a brief respite

Norwich 1 Birmingham 0: The fickle hand of fate favours Norwich - for the moment. They can only hope that the extravagant fortune they enjoyed here will not flow away in equal measure by the riverside at Fulham next Sunday.

From home comforts - four successive wins here have raised unexpected hope - Norwich must now confront their away hoodoo. To be absolutely sure of safety, they must succeed where they have failed 18 times before. As Nigel Worthington joked: "It would be a good time to start." Can they be trusted this time? The feel-good factor around Carrow Road - swelled further by news of Southampton's late equaliser - suggests they can.

Fulham, like Birmingham, have little to play for. Yet Steve Bruce's team played as if their own lives depended on the victory that deserted them. Their performance mocked any suggestion of a helping hand from a highly popular former Norwich player. Bruce called the result "an absolute travesty" - and he was absolutely right.

For much of the first half Norwich could scarcely get a touch, partly because of referee Steve Bennett's incessant peeping in Birmingham's favour. But things turned. Damien Johnson was sent off after half an hour for a punch into Thomas Helveg's chest and, on the stroke of half-time, Kenny Cunningham caught Darren Huckerby for Dean Ashton's penalty.

It was hard to argue with either decision - and Bruce did not - although Birmingham's manager could not resist a general rant at the refereeing. "We've had five booked here but I can't remember a bad challenge in the game. They (referees) are so fussy, particular - especially this one. I thought the overall standard was pathetic."

Worthington claimed his team "were low on energy because of nerves". This did not apply at the critical moment, even when Huckerby, Norwich's regular penalty-taker, surprised Ashton by transferring the responsibility to him. The 21-year-old striker sent Maik Taylor the wrong way.

Bruce directed Birmingham into the Premiership - at Norwich's expense in the 2002 play-off final - but knows how quickly the highest status can be lost given the gap between the divisions. "To stay up is by far the biggest achievement," said Bruce. "It's a fantastic thing."