Jaden Philogene’s fifth goal in three home games has given the Blues a 2-1 half-time lead over Norwich City at Portman Road, Cedric Kipre having put Town in front prior to Oscar Schwartau levelling for the visitors.
Town made six changes from the team which drew 1-1 at Bristol City on Tuesday, returning to the XI which began the 2-1 victory over Portsmouth at home eight days ago.
Kipre came back at centre-half with Jens Cajuste in midfield and Sindre Walle Egeli, Sammie Szmodics and Kasey McAteer the three behind striker George Hirst.
Jacob Greaves, former Canary Marcelino Nunez, Kasey McAteer, Jack Clarke, Chuba Akpom and Ivan Azon all dropped to the bench.
Norwich made one change from the team which lost 1-0 at home to West Brom on Wednesday with Mirko Topic coming in for Emiliano Marcondes, who was among the subs.
Skipper and one-time Town target Kenny McLean was OK to start despite concerns over his fitness, while ex-Blues youngster Liam Gibbs was on the bench.
The Blues made a surprisingly nervy start, struggling to pass through the Canaries’ press, skipper Dara O’Shea twice passing the ball out of play when trying to find Darnell Furlong on the right, then Jaden Philogene taking it over the line on the other side.
On six, Cajuste was caught in possession on halfway leading to a quick Norwich break but Kipre covered the through ball and played back to Alex Palmer.
Town began to gain some composure and in the 10th minute Leif Davis did well to win a corner on the left from a Cajuste pass. That led to a long Furlong throw on the right, which was cleared but the Blues kept the ball and Hirst threaded in Szmodics, however, visitors keeper Vladan Kovacevic was off his line quickly to claim.
On 13, Davis strode out from the back and again sought to play in Szmodics but Jose Cordoba got across to cut it out.
Four minutes later, Davis got himself into a dangerous area in the middle and fed Walle Egeli to his right, the Norwegian moving it on to Szmodics on the right, but the Irish international’s cross was too deep for even Philogene coming in at the back post.
Canaries frontman Josh Sargent had his first sight of goal in the 18th minute, but looped a knockdown on the left of the box well over, much to the delight of the North Stand support behind the goal.
Town had the ball in the net in the 22nd minute. Walle Egeli’s ball over the top having caught out Harry Darling, allowing Hirst to get in behind him. The bounce held up the ball’s progress, Darling going to ground as the pair tussled and Philogene slamming into the net past the advanced Kovacevic, but with referee Thomas Kirk having blown his whistle.
Hirst protested vehemently that he had done nothing wrong and it seemed harsh to penalise him and not Darling for a pull earlier in the incident.
Norwich were next to threaten, Cajuste getting caught midway inside the Blues’ half, allowing Schwartau to break into the box on the left and forcing Palmer to bat behind, the first save either keeper had made.
On 28, with Town again briefly getting up a head of steam, Walle Egeli did well on the right and sent over a cross. Hirst rose highest but his downward header was easy for Kovacevic.
But, as in the early stages, the Blues were continuing to play themselves into trouble in their own final third as they tried to pass out from the back.
As the game reached the half-hour mark, Hirst was played in behind on the right, but his cross was too close to the keeper as Szmodics arrived at the near post.
In the 32nd minute, Walle Egeli curled over a cross from the right, keeper Kovacevic made a mess of dealing with it and the ball scuffed off his fist and out for a corner on the left.
And from the flag-kick, he was made to pay. The ball was sent in deep, skipper O’Shea nodded down and Kipre took a touch before smashing into the roof of the net to send Portman Road wild.
But the Frenchman’s first goal for Town on only his second league start didn’t give the Blues the lead for long.
Only three minutes later, the Canaries won a corner on the right, the ball was half-cleared to the edge of the box and Schwartau struck a low shot which deflected off Azor Matusiwa and past Palmer to his right to get the Norwich fans at the other end off their feet and cheering.
Darling was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 38th minute for pulling back Davis on the Town left just outside the Blues’ area.
A minute later, Cajuste played Hirst in on goal, the Scotland international taking the ball a little wide to the right but still managing to hit a shot across Kovacevic, who got a touch on its way past the post.
Town kept the Canaries pinned back in their area, winning a long throw on the right and then another corner on the left, from which Kovacevic handed them another opening.
After the flag-kick had been cleared to the right, Walle Egeli crossed back in from the right, the keeper flapped at it and it fell to Philogene at a tight angle on the left. The former England U21 international cut back but Kellen Fisher got his body in the way. The claims for a penalty all came from the fans and referee Kirk showed no interest.
Norwich were next to threaten, the Blues once again playing themselves into trouble and Sargent shooting weakly to Palmer. Soon after, Ante Crnac drove low and wide from just outside the box.
However, the increasing nerves on the terraces were settled significantly in the final scheduled minute when Philogene restored Town’s lead with one of the greatest ever derby goals.
Pelle Mattsson failed to deal with a routine pass to him midway inside the Norwich half, Philogene latching onto it, turning away from the Dane and taking a stride forward before hammering an unstoppable strike which didn’t deviate before kissing the underside of the bar and hitting the net to send Portman Road into raptures once again.
There was little further action after Philogene’s fifth goal in his last three home games and the Blues were cheered and applauded off the field by their delighted support.
Despite the lead, it had been a mixed bag from Town, who had struggled to work their way out from the back, conceding possession to the Norwich press all too frequently, but fortunately without being made to pay.
Having got ahead, conceding so soon afterwards was a blow and the Blues were looking nervy at the back before Philogene’s brilliant goal.
Town fans will now hope that their side can go on and seal a famous victory over their greatest rivals in the second half.
Town: Palmer, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Davis, Matusiwa, Cajuste, Walle Egeli, Szmodics, Philogene, Hirst. Subs: Walton, Greaves, Young, Taylor, Nunez, McAteer, J Clarke, Akpom, Azon.
Norwich: Kovacevic, Stacey, Darling, Mattsson, Sargent, Crnac, Topic, McLean (c), Schwartau, Cordoba, Fisher. Subs: Grimshaw, Medic, Gibbs, Jurasek, Marcondes, Wright, Makama, Schlupp, Mahovo. Referee: Thomas Kirk (Cheshire).