If ever there was an example of a true 'six pointer' for Norwich this season, it was this game. A win would've elevated the Canaries a colossal eight points ahead of the Lilywhites and almost ensuring the retention of Premier League status for the Yellows, however, after receiving their 18th defeat this season; that status now hangs perilously in the balance.

With the arrival of the aforementioned Neil Adams to the position of Norwich City manager, the vast majority of the club's fans were hoping to see a plethora of changes, changes to the systems and tactics employed by Adams's predecessor - Chris Hughton. On a team sheet basis, those changes arrived in the form of a far from conventional lineup from the new boss which included the dismissal of salient players such as Sébastien Bassong, Joseph Yobo and, perhaps less notably, Jonás Gutiérrez and Anthony Pilkington from the squad. While this was evidently a bold move from Adams, questions will surely be asked as to his decision process which led to warranting the exclusion of these players following a loss in a clash as crucial as this. Moreover, there were changes not just in personnel, but also in player positions with club captain Russell Martin adopting a central defensive role alongside Michael Turner thus allowing for Martin's fellow international teammate Steven Whittaker to take up the right back position. Many Norwich fans have been sceptical of Whittaker's defensive aptitude since his arrival at the club, but aside from receiving a booking in the first half he carried out his duties competently.

The opening 30 minutes of the match saw both teams battling hard and producing some good end-to-end play, yet neither side were particularly in the ascendency. It took until the 27th minute before either side carved out a clear cut chance, and the first of which came from Norwich. Martin Olsson tore down the left flank and whipped a pin point cross into the Fulham box which was steered goalwards by the boot of Ricky van Wolfswinkel only to be miraculously denied by the body of Fulham keeper David Stockdale who was initially moving away from the flight path of the shot. The Dutch striker has now endured twenty hours of Premier League football without finding the back of the net.

In immediate response to this effort, the Canaries rallied themselves and took control of the game through spells of swift, often one touch passing in the opposition half which culminated in the 32nd minute with Snodgrass striking the bar with a sublime costless kick for the second week running. Stockdale remained rooted to the spot as the ball ricocheted back into the fray leaving Norwich players and fans alike feeling that something had to give eventually. The Canaries maintained pressure right up until the 40th minute when their seemingly unlimited progression was halted by the home side's first, and ultimately deciding goal of the match. Holtby found the feet of Rodallega from a set piece in a wide left position and the Colombian made no mistake in belting the ball down the throat of John Ruddy's goal to give the Cottagers a climacteric, yet arguably unjustified 1-0 lead heading into the break.

In the early stages of the second period it was clear that some of Fulham's momentum from the goal had carried over in terms of their play, but the balance was calmly redressed by the yellows in the following ten minutes or so. Norwich were again presented with a pivotal opportunity just before the hour mark when the spritely Nathan Redmond sliced through the Fulham back line before squaring the ball to Snodgrass across the six yard box whose subsequent attempt on goal was rebuffed by simultaneous sliding tackles from both Hangeland and Amorebieta, thereby preserving the scoreline.

Over the following half an hour Adams made all three of his substitutions, none of which really had any remarkable effect. While changes in the form of Hooper and Hoolahan for van Wolfswinkel and Fer made sense to a degree, his decision to withdraw Howson for promising youth winger Josh Murphy seemed bizarre given the emphasis on the need for central midfield supremacy at this point in the game.

As the final minutes of the game ebbed away, the Cottagers found themselves in a two on two situation with Rodallega and Dejagah, as the pair bore down on the Norwich goal. The Colombian layed the ball off to the Iranian who after a few strides hammered the ball goalward but it was always rising over the bar. This attempt was followed by the piercing screech of Mike Dean's whistle echoing around Craven Cottage, which could scarcely be made out below the cacophony emanating from the Hammersmith end. Fulham now sit just two points below Norwich at the top of the relegation mire and you can't help but think that given the East Anglian side's final four games that slipping into that mire and being unable to claw themselves out is inevitable.