Match ends, Norwich City 3, Hull City 2.
NorwichNorwich City3HullHull City2
Norwich made it five Championship wins in a row with victory over Hull to move back above Leeds at the top of the table.
Jarrod Bowen clipped the post with a free-kick for the visitors before Norwich's Marco Stiepermann weaved into the area and guided home an opener.
The Canaries were two up when the ball fell for Emi Buendia to tap in after a David Marshall save, but Marc Pugh pulled one back for Hull on half-time with an excellent touch and finish after an error from keeper Tim Krul.
Man-of-the-match Buendia finished through Marshall's legs to make it 3-1 after an exquisite one-two with Teemu Pukki and Norwich held on despite former striker Chris Martin's late header for Hull.
Norwich are two points ahead of second-placed Leeds and four clear of Sheffield United in third, with Nigel Adkins' Hull staying 13th.
Carrow Road was rocking after the club announced head coach Daniel Farke had signed a new deal until 2022 just minutes before kick-off, but the visitors had the better start until Stiepermann's mazy run and finish.
Buendia's first goal was slightly fortunate, coming after ex-Canaries keeper Marshall saved from Onel Hernandez, with the ball ricocheting straight to the Argentine just yards out.
Marshall's opposite number Krul gave the ball away under pressure and was punished ruthlessly by Hull's Pugh from outside the box but the visitors have now lost five away Championship games in a row, conceding 16 goals in that time.
Norwich's third was started by an audacious flick from Buendia, with Pukki backheeling into the playmaker's path to finish, with Farke's side now only nine games away from a potential return to the Premier League.
Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Norfolk:
"A ninth win in 10 is outstanding but the result is more or less ridiculous, it should be 7-1, 8-1 or something like this.
"We had one mistake and that could change your whole world in football, but luckily it didn't. We missed an unbelievable amount of chances and then at the end, we had to defend with unbelievable commitment - it shouldn't have been so close.
"There was just the wrong choice a couple of times, and especially we weren't smart right before half-time because that momentum shift could've changed the game. We kept on with how we were playing after half-time which was very important. Emi Buendia can create magic on the pitch, nothing he does is a surprise to me."
Hull boss Nigel Adkins told BBC Radio Humberside:
"We started really well but then the first goal we conceded is just unacceptable. He's had nine or 10 touches and danced his way through our defence - end of story.
"You set yourself up to give yourself a chance and then concede like that, and then the second goal as well. In the second half we were back in it after Marc Pugh's goal and conceded another poor goal from our perspective.
"We didn't get a stonewall penalty at 3-1 before Chris Martin's goal, their defender is nowhere near the ball and that would really have given us a lifeline in the game. Norwich are a really good team, the way they pass and attack but you have to give yourself a chance - the goals are avoidable."
Line-ups
Norwich
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Krul
- 37Aarons
- 6Zimmermann
- 4Godfrey
- 12LewisBooked at 49mins
- 19Trybull
- 23McLean
- 17BuendíaSubstituted forVrancicat 89'minutes
- 18StiepermannSubstituted forLeitnerat 86'minutes
- 25HernándezSubstituted forKloseat 90+3'minutes
- 22Pukki
Substitutes
- 8Vrancic
- 10Leitner
- 11Rhodes
- 15Klose
- 31Hanley
- 33McGovern
- 36Cantwell
Hull
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Marshall
- 17KaneBooked at 35mins
- 5BurkeBooked at 59mins
- 36Ridgewell
- 2Lichaj
- 20BowenSubstituted forGrosickiat 72'minutes
- 22HenriksenBooked at 65mins
- 6StewartSubstituted forMilinkovicat 71'minutes
- 16Irvine
- 8Pugh
- 25CampbellSubstituted forMartinat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Evandro
- 11Milinkovic
- 12Long
- 14Grosicki
- 23Kingsley
- 27McKenzie
- 29Martin
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 25,879
Match Stats
Home TeamNorwichAway TeamHull
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away2
- Corners
- Home8
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Norwich City 3, Hull City 2.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Timm Klose replaces Onel Hernández.
Post update
Attempt missed. Marc Pugh (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Manuel Milinkovic.
Post update
Attempt missed. Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left. Assisted by Moritz Leitner.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Mario Vrancic replaces Emiliano Buendía.
Goal!
Goal! Norwich City 3, Hull City 2. Chris Martin (Hull City) header from very close range to the top left corner. Assisted by Kamil Grosicki with a cross.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ben Godfrey (Norwich City) right footed shot from more than 40 yards on the left wing is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Moritz Leitner replaces Marco Stiepermann.
Post update
Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Liam Ridgewell (Hull City).
Substitution
Substitution, Hull City. Chris Martin replaces Fraizer Campbell.
Post update
Foul by Teemu Pukki (Norwich City).
Post update
Reece Burke (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Norwich City. Emiliano Buendía tries a through ball, but Onel Hernández is caught offside.
Post update
Kenny McLean (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Manuel Milinkovic (Hull City).
Post update
Attempt missed. Onel Hernández (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Reece Burke.
Substitution
Substitution, Hull City. Kamil Grosicki replaces Jarrod Bowen.
Comments
Join the conversation
10 man blades win at home to a good brentford side.
norwich just keep winning.
leeds getting better and better.
who's going to blink first?
leeds v blades saturday a MASSIVE game.
All the times we hear about the Premier League being the best league in the world, I'll say once more - it's not even the best league in England.
Well we made that far harder work than it needed to be, but its a win and we will take that.
Farkes been a wizard for us - and signed up till 2022 now too, so hopefully, assuming we go up, I hope he will have the time and the fans the patience to let him learn what's needed to stay up.
7&5points ahead of Sheffield United ...
@27 ur a 🤡enjoy the chumpionship next season..#OTBC.
Ipswich had also said they didn't want to be in the Championship league next season and it looks like their wish is about to be granted as well.
Assuming we bead Rotherham, would Norwich fans prefer to be 4 points clear at the top with a draw or Shef U win on Saturday, or 7 points clear of third with a Leads win?
Vote up for 7, down for 4...
It's just a shame that the inevitable will happen and whoever finishes 3rd will lose to 6th in the Play Offs...
A very happy Norwich fan.
Dear god! As a Norwich fan the team make it hard sometimes. Cruising at 2–0 then win just 3-2! Still I’m happy with 3 points and Farke signing on until 2022.
It has been the closest Championship in a long time and i love it.. #OTBC
We need a better keeper mind you.