One thing was almost guaranteed from Norwich City's matches during their 2004-05 Premier League campaign - goals.
Never more so was that relevant than when Middlesbrough made the lengthy trip from Teeside to Norfolk nine years ago today.
With all their relegation rivals picking up victories against teams in the top half, it was important that Norwich followed suit against Steve McClaren's men. As it proved, they couldn't achieve that feat, but the Canaries would send their supporters home happy.
Middlesbrough started brightly, only for Norwich to break the deadlock in the 18th minute when Damien Francis was on hand to turn in Darren Huckerby's shot, despite protests from the Boro defence that the midfielder was in an offside position.
However, the visitors scored the goal that their performance had deserved up until that point 11 minutes before the break courtesy of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who converted Stewart Downing's cross.
That equaliser appeared to galvanise Boro after the restart and they made the most of their domination by scoring three times before the 78th minute through a brace from French defender Franck Queudrue, before Hasselbaink added his second of the contest from distance.
At 4-1 down, the Norwich players could have been forgiven for believing that they were beaten. Nevertheless, home debutant Dean Ashton provided them with a flicker of hope when he scored from inside the penalty area with 10 minutes left to play, but even when Leon McKenzie added a third, it appeared to be too little too late as the match ticked into stoppage time.
Yet, with what was their final attack of the game, Ashton forced a corner for Norwich, which was swung over by Huckerby. In what was a packed area, Adam Drury reacted quickest to stoop and send a headed effort beyond a static Mark Schwarzer to salvage a dramatic share of the spoils for the home team.
"It was a nice goal to score. Scoring four at home, we should be winning, but it still feels like a victory to everyone in the dressing room. Everyone who's been around this city for the past three or four years knows that we've got a great team spirit and we showed that again today. We'll enjoy this point and hope to build on it," Drury said after the match.
NORWICH: Green; Edworthy, Doherty, Fleming, Drury; Jonson (McVeigh), Mulryne (Holt), Francis, Brennan (McKenzie); Huckerby, Ashton
MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer; McMahon, Reiziger, Southgate, Queudrue; Parlour, Doriva (Morrison), Zenden, Downing; Job (Graham), Hasselbaink
Liam Apicella
