Town's worst display for some months allowed Norwich City to win the first East Anglian derby of the season 2-0. Leon McKenzie scored in each half, the first controversial after the ball was knocked from keeper Kelvin Davis' hands, and the second the result of non-existent Town defending.

The Blues lined-up unchanged from the side which faced Millwall last week, Richard Naylor returning to the 16 but not Joe Royle's first eleven.

Darren Bent, who scored within 30 seconds two weeks ago against Derby, was almost in on goal for another early effort in the second minute, however, Norwich keeper Robert Green was out to claim the ball ahead of him.

A Shefki Kuqi overhead kick in the third minute failed to threaten Green's goal, but caused indecision amongst the Norwich defence who eventually managed to clear the danger.

Town were having most of the early play but in the 16th minute debutant Leon McKenzie crossed from the left to Marc Edworthy who bizarrely sent his header in the opposite direction to the goal.

Soon after Jim Magilton and Darren Bent exchanged a one-two inside the Norwich area, but Green was out to grab the ball before Bent could get his shot in.

On 21 Jermaine Wright crashed a freekick into the Canary wall after a foul on Darren Bent a few yards outside the box.

Georges Santos became the first player to get his name in Mr Kaye's book in the 23rd minute for what appeared to be slight contact on Ian Henderson, although the Frenchman had already been penalised for a couple of earlier fouls.

Darren Bent headed a Matt Richards cross from the left wide in the 26th minute as the Blues continued to dominate without giving Robert Green too much to do. On the half hour Jim Magilton whipped in a freekick from the left which forced Green to punch clear.

New Norwich signing Matt Svensson headed a Holt cross well wide in the 32nd minute on a rare Canary foray forward.

There was a scare for Town two minutes later when Paul McVeigh was clear on the left in what appeared to be a well offside position. But with no flag raised he got in a shot which flashed high and wide.

Darren Bent got his head to a Jermaine Wright cross from the right but failed to get enough power on the ball and Green claimed. Another cross from the right, this time from John McGreal, appeared to catch a Canary hand but referee Kaye was unimpressed.

With nine minutes of the half remaining Norwich scored. Phil Mulryne sent in a freekick which Kelvin Davis claimed before having the ball removed from his grasp by the challenging McVeigh. The loose ball fell to McKenzie who made no mistake from eight yards.

The Town defence and crowd were unimpressed with the decision to allow the goal, all too similar to the Canaries' effort in the 1-1 draw at Portman Road last season.

The Blues failed to get their passing going in the latter stages of the half, although Shefki Kuqi carved himself an opportunity, but lashed his shot well wide.

Town hadn't really deserved to go in at the break a goal down, but for all their possession they had created few clear-cut chances. The Canaries had defended stoutly and, as so often in recent years, sought to catch Town on the break.

Joe Royle was forced into a substitution at the break, the yellow carded Georges Santos had clearly received a last warning from the referee for a foul just before the break. The Frenchman could count himself pretty unfortunate to have been penalised for virtually all of his fouls, none of which were in any way serious, if fouls at all.

Richard Naylor took over from the former Sheffield United and Grimsby player in the back four as the Blues went on the hunt for an equaliser.

Early on Town were unhappy with a couple of refereeing decisions. First Darren Bent was fouled on the edge of the area but play was waved on, then Shefki Kuqi's shirt received a tug in the box, but it would have taken a brave referee to have awarded a penalty kick.

Joe Royle made an attacking substitution in the 53rd minute, Pablo Couñago coming on for Ian Westlake and forming a three-man attack with Kuqi and Bent.

Norwich striker Matt Svensson was lucky not to receive a red card soon after when he flew into Richard Naylor well after the ball had gone. Briefly the game threatened to boil over with a number of Town players remonstrating with the former Charlton man.

The Swede was spoken to at length by referee Alan Kaye before being shown a yellow card, much to the disapproval of the home support.

As the hour approached Kuqi and Bent both hit shots which were little trouble for Green while McVeigh struck a powerful effort across the face of Kelvin Davis' goal.

Jim Magilton shot over the bar from the edge of the box before Darren Bent went close to an equaliser. Pablo Couñago played in the youngster one-on-one with Green. Bent took the ball past the keeper but got the ball caught under his feet.

When he did manage a shot, Green was back in place, the keeper also stopping Magilton's rebound.

The Canaries were happy to sit back and soak up Town's pressure, the Blues by no means at their best and other than Bent's effort, failing to test Green in any significant way.

On 72 Darren Bent headed a John McGreal cross over the bar with Shefki Kuqi behind him in a far better position. Not long after Alan Mahon replaced the Finn.

As Town huffed and puffed for an equaliser they were in increasing danger of conceding on the break, and in the 75th minute they did just that.

Gary Holt was inexplicably allowed to bring the ball down the right unchallenged before he sent in a cross, which the completely unmarked McKenzie headed just beyond Davis' fingertips, leaving three Town defenders inside the box staring at one another.

Substitute Alan Mahon came closest to a Town goal in the 77th minute, Green punching his 25-yard freekick away at full stretch.

Pablo Couñago shot wide from the edge of the area on 84 before he, Alan Mahon and Jim Magilton all had shots blocked inside the area.

With three minutes remaining Green spilled a Matt Richards cross but claimed the ball before Bent could pounce.

As the game went into injury time Pablo Couñago and Malky Mackay clashed, the Norwich defender catching the Spaniard in the face with an arm. After a lecture neither player was shown a card.

Another poor home derby performance from Town with the Canaries taking their usual approach of sitting back and catching the Blues on the break, scoring with their only two shots on target.

While there are questions regarding the first goal's legitimacy, the second was simply woeful defending, McKenzie left all alone in the box and Holt given free reign to cross at will.

A chance to move up to third in the table spurned and few positives can be taken from the Blues' least convincing display since the early weeks of the season.

Town Davis, Wilnis, Richards, Santos (Naylor 46), McGreal, Bart-Williams, Magilton, Wright, Westlake (Couñago 54), Bent, Kuqi (Mahon 72).

Photo: Action Images

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