For some City fans, the 4-0 win over Hull signalled the start of an inevitable surge into the top six from which promotion would invariably follow.

Those same good folk probably stood rigidly by that belief when Ante Crnac crashed one into the back of the Stoke net in the final minute of the first half. After all, for 45 minutes City had bossed the Potters like they had the Tigers two weeks earlier and looked set fair for another win.

And then the beast that is the Championship kicked in and reminded us, in no uncertain terms, that no one messes with it or takes it for granted. No one should assume anything, let alone that they have cracked it and the only way is up.

In reality, from minute 46 onwards, it was a salutary reminder that, while we are in a good place, this young team remains a work in progress and that, like almost every other team in this division, it has its frailties. If this season is to end as some of our brethren have been predicting over the last fortnight, there will be no easy way. No fast track.
Every single point in this league is hard-earned, and in the end, the one brought home from the Potteries was precisely that. In truth, so bitty was the second half from a Norwich hue, if Narcis Pelach’s men had sneaked a winner we could have had few complaints.

But a point it was after a second period of classic Championship football in which a team that prefers to get the ball down and zip it around in neat triangles wasn’t allowed...