Norwich City: Ante Crnac analysed after Plymouth Argyle goal

Carrow Road erupted with all the enthusiasm and delight of a crowd who'd been biting their nails and crossing their fingers through 82 minutes of tense and agonising football, relieved by a moment that could define their season.

But that wasn't the case, at least not as far as the status of the game went. Ante Crnac rifled in Norwich City's sixth of the evening in a comfortable rout of Plymouth Argyle, and in truth the contest had been over since Shane Duffy's third early in the second half.

What inspired such fervent celebration from supporters and team-mates alike was the personal context surrounding the Croatian, after weeks and months of hardship in yellow and green. Saddled with an £8.5million price tag and then the responsibility of replacing talisman Josh Sargent, criticism had been growing and confidence seemingly waning.

This goal, however, felt like it could be a turning point. The joy it produced, the way it was taken, its status as the cherry on top of a very delicious cake. Everything about it oozed optimism, and in that sense it could well be a moment that defines City's season.

The resulting celebrations said everything about Crnac's goal (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) What was particularly encouraging was the fact that it came as part of a much-improved overall performance, with signs of a good Championship striker that have rarely been seen since his move from Raków Częstochowa in the summer. This wasn't just an easy pile-in on an away side that had already given up, there were signs of it throughout the game.

Off the ball he was much better, with both the reading of the game to help him win possession high up and the belief that he could actually do it. In Saturday's draw with West Brom, he didn't look like someone who thought he'd win the battle when a long pass went forward or a defender's touch ran loose.

By stark contrast, his hassling of the Argyle defenders became a regular feature of Tuesday night's thrashing, and contributed greatly to the three key passes he found. On another night, or if Borja Sainz had saved his superb finishing for those chances, he could have had a hat-trick of assists.

There was also a greater feeling of instinct about the Croat's game, with every shot he executed or pass he attempted done early and with conviction, rather than the often half-hearted decisions made previously. It was the sort of change rarely made by players lacking confidence, and that may well mean credit is due to Johannes Hoff Thorup.

His brutal assessment of things, and admittance that he needed more from the 20-year-old, presented a challenge that many head coaches would have shied away from. Questioned about a young player adapting to life in England, they may have attempted purely to ask for patience from supporters.

But Thorup made it clear that he needed improvement amid that adaptation, and the message appears to have got through.

Of course, it is worth considering those aforementioned circumstances, as well as the weakness of the opposition. Throughout the game Plymouth were very poor, and after Duffy headed the game-sealer the chances of a comeback were miniscule.

The hosts' head coach, however, was pleased with his striker's performance, especially in the second period. "I'm not 100pc satisfied with his first half," he said. "But I think his response in the second was really, really good."

That underlined that there was still work to do, but after a dispiriting performance in the West Midlands he'd have certainly taken that assessment going into it.

Now it's up to Crnac to prove that this isn't a false dawn, that it wasn't a one-off. If he can do that then all those of a yellow and green persuasion will be as delighted as they were when the goal went in.