Come-From-Behind Away Wins

I knew that the win at Norwich was the first of its type in nearly four years so I figured they've been ultra uncommon. But just how rare have they been? How many have there been, for instance, in the last decade? To find out, I dug out my pile of Rothmans and Sky Sports Football Yearbooks and had a look. Here's what I learned: in the last decade, City have managed a grand total of seven come-from-behind away wins. I learned a couple of other things too. In only one season in the past 10 have they pulled off as many as two such away wins, that being the 2000/01 campaign. With their win at Norwich, City have matched their total of one comeback away win for all of the last five seasons (2002/03 thru 2006/07). That lone win during this stretch came at Coventry in October, 2003.

Here are City's magnificent seven come-from-behind wins, with enough about each to bring back a memory or two:

* September 11, 1998. City come back from a goal down to win at Halifax 2-1. The Shaymen move in front on a deflected free kick on the hour mark, but Jason Fowler and Dai Thomas goals bring City back late on. The win gives City nine points in just seven days and moves the Bluebirds up to eighth in the table. City would go on to finish third and win promotion in May. Incredibly, this is Halifax's first home defeat in a year and a half.

* April 22, 2000. City come back from a goal down to win at Oldham 2-1 in their first appearance at Boundary Park in 15 years. An unmarked Stuart Thom puts Oldham in front at the quarter hour with a strike from close range. Then, a minute or so before half-time, some impressive play has City level. A smart Willie Boland through ball finds Kevin Nugent on the edge of the area, the striker following with a back-heeled job that releases Jason Bowen to smash home the equaliser. Boland plays a key role again as City take the lead less than 10 minutes into the second half. His ball to the edge of the area sets Paul Brayson free to send a low drive past the Oldham keeper.

* December 2, 2000. City hadn't won at Torquay since December 17, 1938 and were winless in their previous 12 visits (four draws, eight defeats). The string looked likely to go to 13 when a fluke goal by Tony Bedeau puts the Gulls up at half-time. Just after the break, however, a spectacular Earnshaw goal has City on level terms and two more by Earnie, at the 60- and 70-minute marks put the game out of reach. Brayson adds an insurance tally late on. The win is fifth-place City's fourth in a row and ran their record to 9-8-2 (and 6-2-0 under new manager Alan Cork).

* February 25, 2001. City move into second place in the then Division Three by rallying from a goal down to beat league newcomers Kidderminster 4-2 at Aggborough. Drewe Broughton puts the hosts in front at the quarter-hour mark and it isn't until Scott Young heads an Andy Legg corner into the net in the 41st minute that City get the equaliser. Then a superb Jason Bowen volley from a cross by Legg puts City in front just before the break. Gabbidon makes it 3-1 with five minutes to go before Broughton scores again, in the 89th minute, to keep Harrier hopes alive. Earnshaw puts the game out of reach, though, with a strike deep into stoppage time.

* November 4, 2001. A Carlos Edwards volley puts Wrexham ahead after only five minutes, but City come back to win 3-1 at the Racehorse Ground to extend their away winning streak to three and move up to 10th in the then Division Two. Gavin Gordon taps in the equaliser at the 33-minute mark before Graham Kavanagh's outstanding 30-yard volley puts City in front at the break. Leo Fortune-West nets what proves to be an insurance tally 10 minutes into the second stanza.

* October 18, 2003. A City decimated by injuries and suspensions still finds a way to beat Coventry 3-1 at Highfield Road after the Sky Blues get on the scoreboard first. Coventry takes the lead in the 11th minute when an unmarked Michael Doyle nets a 20-yard volley. Gareth Whalley scrambles home the equaliser just before the half-hour mark and shortly thereafter an outstanding Gavin Gordon header puts City in front. An Earnshaw penalty at the 40-minute mark wraps up the scoring before half-time. With the win City improve to 5-4-4 and maintain their 11th-place position.

* September 1, 2007. City come back from a goal down to win at Norwich 2-1. Simon Lappin puts the Canaries in front after 12 minutes, scoring from 30 yards after intercepting a botched clearance. About 20 minutes into the second half, substitute Peter Whittingham bundles in the equaliser before a Roger Johnson header off a Whittingham corner at the 84-minute mark gives City all three points.

Thanks to Nigel Harris for writing the match reports from which I've managed to swipe most of the above details.

I confess to not knowing what the club average is for come-from-behind away wins over the past decade. It'd be interesting to know but it'd take a good long while to establish. I'd expect, though, that City's haul of seven such wins would put the Bluebirds in the bottom half of any such table.