Press article:

Gillingham 1 Norwich 2 - 17/09/2003

Peter Crouch scored his second goal in as many games to help Norwich end their dismal away run with victory at Gillingham.

The 6ft 7ins striker, on loan from Aston Villa, finished off a flowing move, tapping in Kevin Harper's low cross in the 67th minute.

Damien Francis had scored City's first in the 28th minute, but Marlon King's second of the campaign 12 minutes later ensured Gillingham went into the break on level terms.

Gillingham, who were thumped 5-0 at Cardiff on Saturday, started the game brightly and could have taken the lead in the fifth minute.

Danny Spiller's cross was met by King, but his header from six yards drifted past the post.

City hit back and almost scored a fortuitous opener when a Crouch header deflected off Ian Cox, only for Jason Brown to tip the ball around the post.

Clint Easton forced a fine diving stop from Brown with a volley from 25 yards while at the other end Chris Hope should have done better with a close-range header.

Norwich, who had failed to find the target on their travels going into the game, took the lead just before the half hour.

The Gillingham defence failed to deal with Huckerby's left-wing cross, and the ball fell kindly for Francis to drill home his second goal of the season.

Gillingham did not have to wait too long to claim a deserved equaliser, though, Wallace bravely challenging goalkeeper Robert Green to win the ball, allowing King to slot into an empty net.

Crouch almost restored City's advantage shortly afterwards, sending a header whistling past the upright from Harper's corner, but the giant forward did hit the target two minutes later. Harper burst through the Gillingham defence before laying the ball off to Crouch for a simple finish from six yards.