An Ed Upson penalty just before half-time gave Town’s reserves a deserved 1-0 derby victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road. The midfielder, recently out with glandular fever, netted after Reggie Lambe had been fouled inside the area by Canaries keeper Declan Rudd.
In heavy snow and with a yellow ball in use, the Blues, with Lambe as the lone frontman ahead of Upson playing between the midfield and the attack, were the better side throughout but couldn’t turn their superiority into more than the single goal.
That goal came after Bermudian international Lambe was felled by Rudd, who was lucky to get away with only a yellow card before being beaten by Upson.
Town’s best performers were Alan Quinn and left-back Shane O’Connor, who is continuing to impress after his long spell out with a knee ligament injury.
Both Brian Murphy and Devann Yao made their first public appearances for the reserves, the keeper having a relatively quiet game.
American Yao put in a lively, battling and impressive shift, first on the left of midfield and later up front. It was easy to see why manager Roy Keane, who watched today’s game, offered the 19-year-old his contract until the end of the season.
Reserves: B Murphy, D Wright, O'Connor, Cawley (Hyam 69), Eastman, Ainsley, Edwards, Quinn, Lambe, Upson (Clark 78), Yao. Unused: Thatcher, McLoughlin, Griffiths.
Thanks to Andy Pearl.