If last week, Norwich were defeated by a far stronger side, this game slipped from their grasp due to a lacklustre performance against an evenly matched opponent. 

Central to the problem, was poor tackling. They also squandered good positions and opportunities and were guilty of numerous basic skills errors. 

Woodford were on the board on 6 minutes with a penalty kick to the corner from which they set up a driving maul and Norwich could not halt their bigger pack. The conversion went over.

Norwich came close to scoring shortly afterwards but were held up over the line for the first of two occasions during the game, which were crucial to the outcome. 

Norwich scored on 20 minutes when Theo Elliott kicked to the left corner for James McCaskie, who committed the defender and popped a pass to Sam Flanagan to score. Jake Christian-Goss landed a superb conversion from the touchline.

When Norwich were penalised for offside, Woodford repeated the pattern of their first try with their driving maul to score and convert.

Danny Van Staden scored next for Norwich, when a poor Woodford pass went loose and was kicked ahead. Van Staden won the race to the ball. Christian-Goss kicked to level the scores and so it remained at the break.

Norwich had their opportunities in the second half against the wind, but one of these resulted in them being held up over the line for a second time. Woodford seized on Norwich’s wastefulness and their third score came from a succession of poor tackles to take them a converted score ahead. 

Norwich pulled one back as they turned over a Woodford scrum close to the visitors line and, Player of the Match, Liam Haylett picked up from 8 and barged his way over. Once again, the kick levelled the score. 

Woodford hit back straight away, aided by weak tackling and applied pressure within the Norwich 22. The play became scrappy and the ball went loose and was hacked on. Woodford were quickest to chase and drop on it. The conversion went over.

Norwich still had opportunities late in the game to level it but poor execution with a penalty kick to the corner that failed to make touch, allowed Woodford to use the wind to kick the ball deep and out of harm’s way. 

Norwich hung on for a losing bonus point but know that this was one that got away and one of the games they needed to win, with far tougher opponents in the next two games.