Lewis Grabban’s first-half goal saw Norwich City to a 1-0 victory over the Blues in the East Anglian derby at Portman Road. The Canaries striker flicked home a header in the 24th minute after Town keeper Dean Gerken and midfielder Cole Skuse appeared to leave the ball for one another.
David McGoldrick’s expected return to the starting line-up was the only change from the team which drew at Birmingham in midweek with Conor Sammon dropping to the bench.
Norwich included former Town academy schoolboy Ryan Bennett at the centre of their defence.
The Blues were first to threaten after Tyrone Mings was fouled on the left. Jay Tabb sent in the freekick and, after Paul Anderson had been unable to direct a header goalwards, Skuse scraped a shot wide.
There was an early outing for Town’s stretcher tractor in the fifth minute after Canaries’ defender Bennett suffered what looked to be a foot injury in a challenge with Daryl Murphy. Javier Garrido replaced the former Blues schoolboy with skipper Russell Martin moving to the centre of the defence.
On 10 Murphy sent McGoldrick away on the left, the Blues number 10 cutting in and sending over a deep cross which Anderson nodded across to Tabb, who headed on to Murphy, the Irishman looping a shot well over.
Right-back Steven Whittaker struck the Canaries’ first effort in the 18th minute but his cross-shot failed to trouble Gerken. At the other end, Hyam played Mings into space down the left but his low ball found John Ruddy’s arms.
Town had had the better of the first quarter of the game with the Norwich backline having failed to clear their lines on several occasions.
Canaries striker Grabban hit a low 20-yard strike which Gerken saved well down to his right on 23 but a minute later the visitors went in front.
A corner from the right was cleared to Alexander Tettey on the edge of the box from where he nodded the ball back towards the edge of the six-yard area. As Skuse and Gerken left the ball for one another Grabban flicked a header into the net. The grounded Christophe Berra appeared to be playing the goalscorer onside, however, video evidence showed this not to be the case.
Despite the offside controversy, it was another goal every bit as poor as those conceded at Reading and Birmingham. Grabban should never have been allowed to get to what should have been an easily defended nod back into the area.
Town quickly went about getting back on terms. McGoldrick shot just past the post after a cleverly-worked freekick was played to him just outside the box. Soon after Skuse was booked for a foul on Lafferty.
The Canaries were presenting the greater threat as the game moved towards the half hour, Tetty seeing a shot blocked, then Lafferty hitting his rebound well wide. The Northern Irishman was booked shortly afterwards for a foul on Tabb.
Tabb laid the ball back to Murphy in the 37th minute but his shot was straight at Ruddy, then moments later McGoldrick brought the ball in from the left but his well-struck effort flew over.
On 43 Tabb’s drilled corner was missed by Anderson when he had a free header, the ball eventually falling to Skuse, who looped over from the edge of the box. A minute later, Lafferty flicked a header wide from a freekick on the left.
In seven minutes of injury time, largely as a result of Bennett’s early injury, McGoldrick sent in a dangerous cross which was put behind just ahead of Tabb. From the corner, the ball fell to Anderson 25 yards out but the winger lashed high and wide.
Moments before the half-time whistle McGoldrick failed to make contact as he tried an overhead kick after Berra had nodded down Tabb’s freekick from deep.
Town had huffed and puffed but had never really looked that close to grabbing an equaliser after Grabban’s very preventable goal.
Despite Norwich not looking entirely comfortable at the back at times, Ruddy had never really been tested, while Nathan Redmond and Grabban were a threat when the Canaries were on the counter-attack.
Town carved out an early second half opportunity, McGoldrick’s cross from the right falling to Murphy, who was in two minds whether to shoot on the turn or lay back to Anderson. Eventually the ball was moved on to Hyam and then Skuse, whose shot was deflected wide of goal.
The Blues should have been on terms in the 50th minute after a long spell of possession in the Norwich half. Tabb chipped a cross to the far post from where Murphy headed back past Ruddy’s right post when he should have scored.
There was a big scare for Town in the 53rd minute when the Blues played themselves into trouble midway inside their half. With Berra out of position, Garrido played Grabban through on goal but the ex-Bournemouth striker chipped over Gerken but also the bar when he should have made it 2-0.
Norwich were continuing to have their fragile moments at the back, McGoldrick escaping down the left in the 58th minute and forcing Ruddy to save at his near post from a tight angle.
Within a minute Gerken had made an even better save after Grabban seized on hesitation on the edge of the Town box and hit a powerful strike, which the keeper pushed away right-handed.
The lively Canaries striker was thwarted again as the game moved towards the hour mark having been played in one on one with Gerken towards the right of the area. The keeper forced him wide and Smith cleared his weak attempt at goal off the line.
Anderson scuffed a weak shot to Ruddy after being found in a dangerous position by Skuse on 65 but Norwich were continuing to have more of the ball with gaps increasingly appearing in Town’s defences.
With 18 minutes remaining Mick McCarthy made a triple substitution, Kevin Bru, Alex Henshall and Conor Sammon replacing Hyam, Anderson and Tabb.
A minute later Smith blocked from Bradley Johnson, then on 76 Bru’s edge of the area shot was deflected away following two Town corners.
Town were having more of the ball in dangerous areas but Norwich remained a bigger threat on the counter-attack, Gerken saving Garrido’s shot from the left as the match moved into its final 10 minutes. On 83 Mings was booked for a foul on Tettey as Norwich broke forward.
As the game moved into injury time, Berra nodded down Mings’s freekick from deep but Murphy just couldn’t get to it ahead of Ruddy.
Gerken saved Redmond’s low shot from the edge of the box and without the Blues threatening again referee Keith Stroud’s whistle confirmed the visitors’ victory.
Town had been better after the break and should have been on terms via Murphy’s header but largely they continued to huff and puff, showing too little quality on the ball.
The Canaries, having got their noses in front in the first half, continued to look the more threatening side on the break with Grabban failing to take one gilt-edged opportunity, while they created a number of other opportunities to increase their lead.
While by no means the hammering of three years ago - a result along those lines never looked on the cards - the Blues once again fell short when up against their greatest rivals, who they now haven't beaten in more than five years.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Hyam (Bru 72), Anderson (Sammon 72), Tabb (Henshall 82), McGoldrick, Murphy. Unused: Bialkowski, Parr, Hewitt, Bajner.
Norwich: Ruddy, Martin (c), R Bennett (Garrido 5), Turner, Whittaker, Tettey, Johnson, Hoolahan (O’Neil 83), Redmond, Lafferty (E Bennett 53), Grabban. Unused: Rudd, Cuellar, Jerome, Murphy. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 25,245 (Norwich 2,064).