Norwich 1 Everton 1 match report: Romelu Lukaku scores for seventh consecutive match in Canneries draw

Norwich City 1 Everton 1

(Getty Images)

Romelu Lukaku continued his prolific goalscoring form – but Everton will spend the coming days puzzling over what happened to turn what had been a comprehensively one-sided match so completely on its head that Norwich might have won.

In the first half Everton had five, possibly six good chances in addition to the one converted by Lukaku, pictured, for his 15th goal of the season, three of them missed by the Belgian striker himself as Norwich appeared to be heading irreversibly towards yet another defeat, their seventh defeat in nine matches.

Yet, having been spared a humiliation, Norwich reappeared for the second half as if the first half had been merely a bad dream, equalised within barely a minute and could have recorded what would have been only a second Premier League win in three months, had Cameron Jerome’s composure not deserted him at a key moment.

The Toffees, then, escaped. But after appearing ready to move to another level with thumping wins against Sunderland and Aston Villa in recent weeks, they have dropped six points by drawing their last three matches, having also squandered a dominant position at Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago before Lukaku rescued them at home to Crystal Palace.

“We are very disappointed, of course, because our first-half performance was as good as you will see from an away team in this league,” said Roberto Martinez, the Everton manager. “We should have had three points.”

Wes Hoolahan levels the scores (Getty Images)

After 15 minutes Lukaku scored for the seventh match in a row, six of them in the Premier League. But having headed home Gerard Deulofeu’s cross for his 15th goal of the season, his 28th of the calendar year, the Belgian should have had more.Spared embarrassment by a linesman’s flag after scuffing an Arouna Koné cross wide of an open goal, he then missed the ball completely as he tried to put in a centre from Seamus Coleman and twice dragged shots wide from good positions.

Leighton Baines, making his first start of the season after suffering an ankle injury, shot against the bar and Declan Rudd twice had to come off his line to save, with Koné clean through.

Norwich looked shellshocked, yet within 63 seconds of starting the second half they were level. Ryan Bennett – on at half-time for the injured Andre Wisdom – had a header cleared off the line by Ross Barkley but Wes Hoolahan forced the ball back in.

By midway through the second half, Norwich had taken control. Everton looked tentative and had an escape when Hoolahan backheeled from the near post to an unmarked Jerome. But, the forward shot over.

Roberto Martinez

“The first half was unacceptable but compared with our performance in the second half they were polar opposites,” said Norwich manager Alex Neil.

“We were afraid to express ourselves in the first half – but in the second we were the better side.”

Norwich City: (4-2-3-1) Rudd; Wisdom (Bennett, h-t), Martin, Bassong, Olsson; Tettey, O’Neil; Redmond, Hoolahan (Howson, 84), Brady; Jerome.

Everton: (4-1-3-2) Howard; Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines; Barry; Deulofeu (Mirallas, 69), Cleverley, Barkley (Gibson, 76); Koné, Lukaku.

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Man of the match: Hoolahan (Norwich)

Match rating: 7/10