Marcelino Nunez’s free-kick has given Norwich City a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues at Carrow Road.
Kieffer Moore started for the Blues as boss Kieran McKenna named an unchanged team from the 3-2 home victory over Southampton on Monday, aside from Nathan Broadhead replacing Kayden Jackson. Striker Moore had been a doubt with a back problem suffered in that game.
Norwich made one change from the team which lost 3-1 at Leicester on Monday with Shane Duffy replacing Jacob Sørensen at the centre of the defence having done the same from the bench against the Foxes. Former Town midfielder Liam Gibbs was on the bench.
In blazing sunshine but with the wind gusting, the Canaries won an early corner, Town keeper Vaclav Hladky punching to the edge of his area from where Borja Sainz shot deep into the stand behind the goal.
But Town quickly began to take charge, an Omari Hutchinson cross from the right in the third minute appearing to hit a Norwich arm but with referee Matthew Donohue showing no interest.
The Blues, with former midfielder Kieron Dyer and boxer Fabio Wardley in the away end, won another corner within a minute when another Hutchinson cross was cut out. The corner was played short to Sam Morsy but referee Donohue whistled for a foul before the skipper’s deep cross reached Nathan Broadhead beyond the far post.
On eight, Norwich right-back Jack Stacey’s shanked cross momentarily looked like it might catch Hladky out but the keeper got back to claim.
Two minutes later, with the home side now seeing most of the ball, Stacey sent a low ball across the face and wide having exchanged passes with Josh Sargent after winning a challenge with Leif Davis deep in his own team’s half.
Town began to see more of the ball again, while also stopping Norwich passing out from the back with determined pressing, but without managing to create a chance, with too many passes in the final third not finding their man.
The Blues had their first effort at goal in the 22nd minute, Cameron Burgess heading well over at the near post from Davis’s left-sided corner, the full-back having won the kick himself having been found behind Stacey, playing a similar role for the Canaries down that flank.
Both teams continued to have spells on the ball but without any causing any penalty box danger. On 29, Gabriel Sara smashed a free-kick from 30 yards high and wide.
There was a scare for the Blues just after the half-hour when Sargent was sent breaking away into the Town half. Axel Tuanzebe got across to take the ball away from the US international just outside the area, however, referee Donohue gave a free-kick.
The Blues players surrounded the referee as the home fans and team bayed for a red card. However, after a long wait, and perhaps advice from his assistant who was in a better position to see the incident, Donohue showed a yellow rather than a red card.
It was certainly an incident which might have seen a dismissal, however, video evidence showed not only that Tuanzebe had got the ball but that Sargent had been offside. Nunez hit the free-kick into the Town wall and the ball deflected wide for a corner.
Norwich were on top, winning another free-kick - for a foul by Burgess on Sargent - then another corner with the Blues unable to take the game out of their final third.
And in the 38th minute they went in front. Morsy fouled Sargent around 30 yards out and Nunez struck a shot which wobbled away from Hladky, who could only palm onto the inside of the post. The ball bounced back across goal and over the line to the delight of the home support.
Town looked to hit back straight away, Burgess flicking a back header through to home keeper Angus Gunn, then on 42 a Moore shot deflected out for a corner.
The Blues had a claim for a penalty in two additional minutes when Hutchinson went down under the attention of Sainz but appeared to trip over the ball.
Moments later, a pass towards the Chelsea loanee was overhit, which summed up much of Town’s first-half display in the final third.
Having started brightly, albeit without threatening, the Blues had allowed the Canaries a spell on top in which they won a number of set pieces around the area, and it was from the last of those which the Norfolk side took the lead.
Town had one or two spells during the half but without seriously testing Gunn with too many passes going astray in the final third.
The Blues have staged comebacks galore this season but another one today would be more welcome than any of the others.
Norwich City: Gunn, Stacey. Gibson, Duffy, McCallum, McLean (c), Nunez, Sainz, Sara, Sargent, Barnes. Subs: Long, Gibbs, van Hooijdonk, Fassnacht, Batth, Fisher, Welch, Aboh, Montoia.
Town: Hladky, Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Broadhead, Moore. Subs: Walton, Clarke, Ball, Travis, Taylor, Harness, Sarmiento, Jackson, Al-Hamadi. Referee: Matthew Donohue (Manchester).