A LONG evening at Spotland saw the Canaries sneak through to the next round of the Carling Cup after a tense penalty shoot out.
City went through 4-3 on spot-kicks after the game finished 1-1 after extra time, with Dion Dublin's second half strike cancelling out Glenn Murray's opener.
In fairness, it was the League Two side who finished the stronger, but they could not hold their nerve from the spot, with David Marshall making fine stops from Rory Prendergast and Gary Jones.
City scored all four times from the spot - Chris Brown, Simon Lappin, Chris Martin and Darren Huckerby on target.
City boss Peter Grant was true to his word in naming his strongest available side for the visit to Spotland.
The home side had made a difficult start to the new campaign, sitting second bottom of the Football League, but Grant was taking no chances against the side which dispatched Championship Stoke City in the previous round of the competition.
With David Strihavka out through illness and Jamie Cureton suffering with injury, striking duties were handed to Dion Dublin and Chris Martin, supported by the fit-again Darren Huckerby.
It was Huckerby's first senior action of the season after recovering from the groin and hip problem which destroyed his pre-season preparations.
Adam Drury was still out with his groin problem, which meant another start for recent signing Ian Murray in the left back position.
Matthew Gilks, who signed for the Canaries from Rochdale in the summer, had to be content with a place on the bench on his return, with David Marshall again preferred in goal.
It was the home side who got things underway, with around 400 City fans making themselves heard.
And the Canaries were almost ahead inside the first 40 seconds. Lappin collected a loose ball just outside the centre circle and set off on a bursting run through the middle.
Huckerby had pulled wide left expecting a pass, but Lappin drove on and sent in a low shot from 20 yards which 'keeper James Spencer could only palm out in front of him.
The rebound fell to Lappin's feet again, but his second effort was neither a shot nor a pass to Dublin just ahead of him, with the ball running out for a goal kick.
Rochdale had their first effort at goal on three minutes. John Doolan came out the better in a 50-50 challenge with Russell 40 yards from goal, and he took two steps forward before unleashing a right foot shot which flew over the angle of post and bar.Rochdale were showing little respect for their Championship opponents, and on seven minutes Chris Dagnall did Murray for both pace and power before lifting a shot narrowly over the bar from 12 yards out.
It had been a bright start by the home side, with City second best since their early chance.
Two minutes later and Glenn Murray came close to putting his side in front, glancing a header wide from eight yards when he might have done better.
If the Canaries had come to Spotland expecting an easy ride they were sorely mistaken, and on 10 minutes Rochdale took the lead their approach play deserved.
Murray, enduring a difficult opening to the game, slipped on the edge of his own box, allowing his namesake Glenn to nip in and take the ball off his toes. And the striker kept his cool to slot past Marshall and in off his left post for the opener.
It was a good finish, and a minute later they almost made it two, Marshall having to be alert to gather a low shot by Dagnall from the edge of the box.
City looked to respond quickly, and on 12 minutes Huckerby was involved for the first time in the game, showing Guy Branston a clean pair of heels inside the box. His run took him to the by-line, but instead of looking for the unmarked Martin on the six-yard line, Huckerby tried to lift a shot from the tightest of angles over the advancing figure of Spencer. But the 'keeper did well, spreading himself to block.
Spencer was again called into action on the 20 minute mark, this time having to get down low to collect a near post header from Doherty following a Lappin free kick from the right.
Three minutes later and City should really have been level. Brilliant control and footwork from Martin finished with the 18-year-old putting Huckerby away down the left channel.
Once again the Rochdale defence had no answer to Huckerby's pace, with the forward again getting to the by-line. This time though the 31-year-old opted for the pass, finding Martin eight yards out.
The striker miscued his shot horribly, and although it took a lucky rebound off Russell towards the opposite corner, a Rochdale defender was on hand to clear.
Brellier, who had been riding his luck all night after one or two less than fair tackles, finally found himself in the book on 27 minutes, this time for a crude foul on Dagnall as the forward looked to break clear over the halfway line.
While clear-cut chances were few and fair between for the Canaries, they always posed a threat in the air from set plays, and on 37 minutes Dublin glanced a header wide under pressure from Lappin's corner.
With the game in the final minute of the half, there was almost disaster for David Marshall in the City goal.
A simple backpass from Shackell put the 'keeper under pressure with Dagnall closing him down, and the 22-year-old suddenly lost his footing while attempting to clear. Fortunately, he regained his composure in time to play the ball into touch.
All the same, the home fans found it highly amusing, with chants of "Gilksy's gonna get you" ringing round Spotland.
Half time: Rochdale 1-0 Norwich City
You would imagine City boss Peter Grant would have been less than impressed with the first half offering by his players, and acted immediately to change things.
The luckless Murray was taken off, with Luke Chadwick replacing him. He went straight to right midfield, with Lappin moving back into defence.
And City were quickly into the stride, with Spencer forced into action on 48 minutes to tip a lobbed shot from Russell away to safety.
The ball found it's way wide left, where Huckerby was promptly upended.
And from the free kick the Canaries found an equaliser. Lappin swung over an excellent free kick, and Dublin produced an exquisite finish with the outside of his right foot to find the bottom right corner.
It was a much needed goal for City, who would now want to build on their decent start to the second period.
But Rochdale were standing up to the challenge well, and almost scored a second on 54 minutes.
Adam Rundle hit an out-swinging corner into the box, and veteran Branston rose unchallenged to head inches wide of the far post from 10 yards out.
Two minutes later and Huckerby went close for the Canaries, ghosting across the edge of the box before striking a right foot shot which rolled a yard wide of Spender's right post.
The game was certainly opening up for both sides, with the winner to be decided on the night - whether that be through extra time or penalties.
And on 58 minutes and extraordinary piece of play by Brellier almost saw City take a spectacular lead.
The Frenchman collected a loose pass in midfield before striding forward with purpose, and he took one look up and spotted 'keeper Spencer off his line.
He struck an excellent dipping right-foot effort from 40 yards, which looked destined for the top corner. Spencer back peddled furiously to collect under his own bar, although the travelling City fans on the far side appealed loudly that he'd carried the ball over the line.
On 65 minutes it was Rochdale's turn to test the 'keeper, Marshall having to show strong wrists at his near post to push Dagnall's shot away for a corner.
From the resulting kick Rory McArdle rose highest in the area, but his bullet header flashed over.
On 70 minutes City were denied a loud shout for a penalty when McArdle appeared to use his hand blocking a volley from Dublin on the far post, but referee Colin Webster was not best placed to give a decision.
Two minutes later and Russell should have done better after Huckerby bent in a superb cross from the left. Unfortunately the former Stoke man miscued his header horribly.
All the same, the better chances were beginning to fall to City - but crucially they had yet to take them.
On 78 minutes a swift break through the outstanding Huckerby saw City in a three-on-two situation in their favour. He looked to cross low to the unmarked Chadwick charging into the box, but Martin got in the way. And although he got in a blocked shot, Chadwick was left with his head in his hands on the far side.
With eight minutes of the game left Doherty went into the book for dragging down substitute Pendergast after giving the ball away cheaply.
That moment sparked Rochdale into life again, and on 84 minutes Marshall had to produce an excellent one-handed stop to tip a Prendergast volley away to safety after an almighty scramble in the goalmouth.
Huckerby was showing no signs that it was his first game since last May, and on 86 minutes he sent a shot from the corner of the box yards wide of the far post after cutting inside from the left.
Brellier then tried his luck from 30 yards - but the result was the same as extra time draw closer and closer.
Extra time
There were no changes for either side as the teams prepared for a final arduous 30 minutes of action to settle the second round tie.
City had the first chance of the extra period on 94 minutes, Huckerby testing Spencer with a low drive after Martin had laid the ball into his path.
Lee Croft then entered the fray in place of Brellier, who had produced a decent second half.
Dublin then flashed a volley wide after Martin again produced a neat chest-down into his path just inside the box.
City were enjoying the lion's share of possession, with Rochdale not committing too many men forward as they looked to hold out for penalty kicks.
With three minutes of the first period of extra time remaining, the excellent Dublin was replaced by the equally competitive Chris Brown.
But with the final minute of the half remaining, Marshall was forced to produce a stunning point blank save to prevent Rochdale from re-taking the lead. Doherty's slip while in possession was crucial, with the ball finding its way through to Glenn Murray in a one-on-one with the 'keeper. But Marshall stood tall and produced a first class stop with his legs to the relief of Doherty and the travelling fans.
In the second spell of extra time John Doolan was the first to try his luck, with Marshall showing safe hands to hold his curling effort.
City's defending at the back was looking far from convincing, with perhaps tired legs playing their part. And on 111 minutes Marshall was again called into action, palming over a pile-driver from Tom Kennedy from 30 yards out.
With the clock counting down towards the dreaded penalty kicks, Rochdale spurned two chances to win the game. First Muirhead blazed over from little more than three yards out after a cross to the far post, before Dagnall slotted wide with only Marshall to beat.
There was little doubt Rochdale were finishing the stronger against their Championship opponents.
But with the game in injury time, Spencer was called into action, beating a near post shot from Croft away for a corner.
Form the resulting kick Brown sent in a close range header, but it was too near to Spencer.
And that was the last action of the match, with the tie set to be decided on penalty kicks.
Penalties
Rochdale took the first kick, with Tom Kennedy stepping up to the spot. He placed a perfect left foot shot high to Marshall's left to make it 1-0 to the home side.
Brown was first for the Canaries, and he slotted a right foot shot low to the left, sending Spencer the wrong way to equalise.
Le Fondre was next for Rochdale, blasting the ball to Marshall's left as he went the other way.
Lappin then stepped up for the Canaries, looking to make it 2-2 - and he did, sending the keeper the wrong way and burying his shot into the back of the net.
Prendergast was next - but Marshall guessed right, getting down low to his left to push it away one handed to hand City the advantage.
And Chris Martin took it - side footing to Spencer's left for 3-2 to Norwich. All the pressure was now on Dagnall, and he placed his shot into the top corner to equalise.
City still held the advantage though, with Huckerby next. And he went straight down to middle to make it 4-3.
It meant Gary Jones had to score. But he didn't - shooting straight down the middle for Marshall to punch clear and Norwich to win 4-3 on penalties.
Rochdale: Spencer, Ramsden, Kennedy, Doolan, McArdle, Branston, Muirhead, Jones, Murray (Le Fondre 115), Dagnall, Rundle (Prendergast 73). Subs: Rigby, Crooks, Higginbotham.Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Huckerby, Brellier (Croft 94), Dublin (Brown 102), Murray (Chadwick 46), Lappin, Russell, Doherty, Martin. Subs: Gilks, Spillane.
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