A goal in either half from Bradley Johnson and Lewis Grabban gave Norwich City a 2-0 victory over Town in the East Anglian derby at Carrow Road. Johnson opened the scoring on 24 with a strike off the underside of the bar with Grabban adding the second in the 62nd minute.

Town boss Mick McCarthy handed Richard Chaplow his full Blues debut at the most advanced point of a midfield diamond ahead of Cole Skuse with Kevin Bru on the right and Jay Tabb on the left.

Paul Anderson and Jonny Parr dropped to the bench, while Teddy Bishop missed out with the ankle injury he suffered in training.

David McGoldrick (thigh), Darren Ambrose, Stephen Hunt (both hamstring), Noel Hunt and Luke Hyam (knee) had all previously been ruled out. Former Northgate High School pupil Hyam watched the game fro the away end.

Chris Wood, who signed on loan from Leicester on Friday, was on the bench alongside 17-year-old first-year scholar Kundai Benyu, who was in the matchday 18 for the first time.

The game started in a swirling wind with the home side threatening first in the third minute when Lewis Grabban was found on the right of the area, but Tyrone Mings got across to muscle him off the ball.

Norwich felt they ought to have been awarded a penalty in the seventh minute when Grabban was tackled by Tommy Smith. Referee Paul Tierney awarded a corner but replays suggested the Canaries might have had a case. From the second of two flag-kicks the ball was cleared to Jonny Howson, who volleyed well wide.

There was a scare for the Blues on 13 when Chaplow allowed Howson to send over a cross from the left after a corner from the right had been sent too deep. Norwich Johnson flicked a header which Berra blocked, then Murphy cleared the loose ball.

Skuse picked up the game’s first booking in the 16th minute for catching Johnson with a high boot as the home side broke on halfway.

The majority of the first 20 minutes had been played in the Norwich half but without the Blues having been able to create a chance. When in decent areas all too often a pass had been lacking at the crucial moment.

Much the same was the case in the 23rd minute when Chaplow won the ball on the right and broke into the area but failed to find Murphy with his cross.

A minute later the home side went in front. Wes Hoolahan fed Grabban on the right and the striker’s low cross caught Berra’s heel and found Johnson rushing into the area on the left, from where he smashed a shot into the net off the underside of the bar.

The Blues looked to hit straight back but Murphy failed to get anything on a shot from the edge of the box and Norwich keeper Ruddy claimed comfortably.

Town weren’t far away from an equaliser in the 31st minute when Bru won the ball midway inside the Blues’ half and sent Murphy away down the left. The Irishman crossed low to Sears, who touched the ball past his defender before shooting. However, the touch had allowed Ruddy time to come off his line and the keeper blocked.

Sears hit a 20-yard strike from the left which Ruddy saved to his left on 35, then three minutes later Hoolahan hit a looping effort from further out which Bartosz Bialkowski claimed.

Neither side threatened again before referee Tierney’s whistle signalled the half-time break.

Having gone in front the home side had largely been on top without particularly threatening to add to their lead. The well-worked goal was the one time they had cut through the Blues during the first half.

But Town were far form out of it, having continued to battle away in their usual manner and they might well have been on terms but for Ruddy’s impressive save from Sears.

Aside from that and Sears’s effort from distance soon after, Town hadn’t managed to test the home keeper on too many more occasions in a derby of few chances at either end.

Luke Varney replaced Chaplow at start of the second half and the Blues went close soon after the restart when Johnson inadvertently smashed Tabb’s freekick in from the left over his own crossbar.

On 53 Berra did well to cut out Grabban’s cross from the left, then from the corner Johnson headed wide. Two minutes later Grabban hit a low shot through to Bialkowski which failed to trouble the Polish keeper.

Sears saw a strike blocked on 58 with Town beginning to put the home side under a bit of pressure. Three minutes later, Norwich swapped Nathan Redmond for Cameron Jerome.

Within a minute of coming on the former Cardiff man inadvertently created the second goal for Grabban. Having been forced wide to the left by Berra, Jerome cut in and hit a shot which struck Mings, deflected off Grabban and trickled over the line.

As the Blues looked to get back into the game Ruddy saved from Sears from distance on 67, then two minutes later Parr replaced Bru in the Blues midfield.

It might have been 3-0 in the 73rd minute when Jerome was threaded through on goal but Bialkowski came off his line quickly to save.

Despite the match appearing lost the Blues kept going and twice threatened in the 76th minute. After Ruddy had dropped a cross, the ball was returned into the box and Sears and then Parr both had shots blocked.

With 11 minutes left on the clock new signing Wood took over from 21-goal Championship top scorer Murphy.

Sears almost created a goal for Town in the 81st minute. Tabb took a quick freekick and the former Colchester man chipped a cross over Ruddy but Johnson headed off the line and Sebastian Bassong nodded over.

Three minutes later Mings was booked for a foul on Howson. From the freekick, Canaries skipper Russell Martin stabbed into the side-netting at the far post.

Wood flicked a header wide from a Parr cross after a Town freekick in the 86th minute with the Blues continuing to look for a goal which would never come.

Paul Tierney’s whistle signalled Norwich’s victory - their fourth derby in a row for the first time in their history - a result which sees the Canaries move up to third and the Blues remain in sixth.

While there wasn’t a huge amount in the game and Town had one or two chances, the home side played the more controlled football for the most part and took their best first-half chance, while the Blues failed to take theirs.

The somewhat flukey second goal came at a time when Town were starting to impose themselves on the game. The Blues kept pushing and carved out one or two half-chances but never really looked like getting back into the game once they had gone two goals behind.

Norwich: Ruddy, Whittaker, Martin (c), Bassong, Olsson, Tettey, Johnson, Redmond (Jerome 61 (Hooper 90)), Howson, Hoolahan (Dorrans 83), Grabban. Unused: Rudd, Turner, Hooper, Andreu, Garrido.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bru (Parr 69), Chaplow (Varney 46), Bru, Murphy, Sears. Unused: Gerken, Clarke, Anderson, Benyu. Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire). Attendance: 27,005.

Photo: Action Images

Cloddyseedbed added 18:09 - Mar 1 Truthfully where do we expect to get playing football like that? That is lower league football and lower league tactics. Painfull to watch and my god, it was on Sky TV beamed all over the world. Sorry, sorry state of affairs if you have to play that way and blame lack of money or the fair play rules. No excuses at all for that, Players signed are players who have not featured in a team for months and we expect them to step on the pitch and become match winners, they are so off the pace, it'll never happen. I was a supporter who welcomed McCarthy into the club to sort it out as too many players were taking the pee, now it seems the owner and manager are. It has become a habit to serve up what we witnessed today and all the sky viewers and the team is not getting better it is looking weaker as is the predictable hoofball. I for one am desperate to get out this division but with the skill and tactics we possess it'll never happen. Norwich deserved to win, they were the better team. I don't buy into this well they should because they have better players cr*p. They have good shape and pass the bl**dy ball. We just keep kicking it up to the oppositions defence to head it back again, it's cr*p, utter cr*p.

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kidsurello added 18:10 - Mar 1 It doesn't seem to hard to solve from an outsider, he's filling his team with hard workers!! You have to have a balance with quality in there aswell! Like jonny williams, works hard and is a talent!! There has to be changes, changes to the formation, away from 4-4-2 every week, changes to personnel, out has got to be: Jay Tabb, Tommy Smith, Cole Skuse, Chaplow, Varney, Adnerson. Ins have to be bishop, Stewart, Parr, Hyam. And if mick won't make the changes, get a manager that will

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kidsurello added 18:13 - Mar 1 It's like asking Tony Pulis to get you in the top six of the premiership, No, he'll make sure you're safe and maybe get you to about 10th, look at the leaders of the premiership, Chelsea, have both hard work AND creativity
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ibisblue added 18:14 - Mar 1 All I could say is that it felt less painful than the home match against Norwich where we were a lot worse... (and so were they!) ... and that was just prior to us getting our act together..?
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Teds_left_foot added 18:17 - Mar 1 I'm going to get in a muddle with my comments, but here goes. Pi$$ed off today for losing against that lot.First, if as most teams now play with one striker maybe another withdrawn, why do we need 4 defenders? A back 3 of Chambers. Smith and Berra,with Parr and Mings as wingbacks. And play at least 1 REAL winger. A midfield from Anderson/Stewart, Bru Bishop/McGoldrick Skuse Sears and Murphy.As much as I appreciate what MM has done PLEASE stop hoofball.The times Chambers Smith and Berra lump it up in hope just don't work. It loses possession . That's why we have a poor midfield Most of the time the ball is flying over their head!They are all shortish. It's called Football MM.

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purplealien added 18:17 - Mar 1 I thought Chaplow played well when he was on, and I'm a little surprised at the reaction on here. Our whole midfield unit was struggling against their attacking midfield players (assembled at vast cost) who looked a class above. I think at HT, 1-0 down, Mick decided to surrender the midfield and go route one. A deliberate gamble. Hence Varney on for Chaplow. Like others, I would rather have seen Wood first, but perhaps Mick felt Varney would be more of a presence. It might have worked; and had it done so, we'd all be singing his praises. Narwich have an average back line, and we have a strike force which is good in the air and used to the long ball game (sadly). But to give Narwich credit they defended deep and in numbers. I agree with others. We are missing a couple of top class attacking midfielders. That's the difference PL money makes....... On that performance I expect Norwich to grab one of the two automatic slots. I think we can hold onto a play-off place, and if we do it'll be some achievement given the resources available.

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Jimmy86 added 18:19 - Mar 1 It's just so disappointing to lose against that lot up the road and also the manner in which we lost. Unfortunately today we lost to the better team, as much as it pains me to say it. We all said after the Birmingham game, that although we won, we needed to play better and be more measured in our play. Today we got shown up, sadly for our lack of quality where it really matters. Tommy is a good centre back but is lacking confidence and is clearly shaky playing on the right side. Chambers is clearly a better centre back than he is a right back and how Parr doesn't get a run in the team at either full back position is a mystery to me. Mings also had another poor game and to me is a tad overrated, but it is still his first full season in professional football. He was poor in the build up to the first goal and didn't get tight enough and to see him just casually jogging back when the runner had breezed through was really disappointing to see, if we'd stopped the cross johnson doesn't score, Was far too Easy. Our lack of creativity was really highlighted today, which is a great shame. Hard work and graft will only get you so far. Still points to play for, but these problems have to be addressed

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BillBlue added 18:23 - Mar 1 Yesterday I said if Mick played the people mentioned above and tried to play his defensive hoofball game then he would give the game to Norwich and THAT is precisely what he did! In fact he did worse, he played loan players who were not match fit ahead of his own gifted players, unforgivable. Even his number one fan is becoming disenchanted and states " I mentioned before we need two Parr's" which begs the question as to why MM (his best mate) doesn't play the one we have got? After 63 years of being an ardent Town fan I am giving up until that dross is back where it belongs, in Yorkshire.

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paulnstar added 18:33 - Mar 1 fed up watching micks crap hoof ball ,getting ribbed by budgie mates down pub calling us sixpoint town and am I the only who cant believe the best player in this team is a former Colchester player doesn't say a lot for the rest murphys had it now had good season but age has caught up with him now I don't think we will make playoffs now its not been a good 2015 searsy the only shining light for me

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riley26 added 18:36 - Mar 1 No creativity today. We miss McGoldrick, he hasn't scored the goals this season but he is the best link we have between midfield and attack. I'de like to see all three of Murphy, Sears and McGoldrick in the starting eleven when fit. As soon as the team sheet was released I feared the worst. Our midfield does not exist, how many passes did our middle four complete to each other? I hope they prove me wrong but the additions of Varney and Chaplow are not going to improve us. I could go on, but ultimately, today was poor, we need to get McGoldrick and Bishop back and work out a consistent starting eleven and system. If you told me before the season started that by March Norwich had done the double over us and were 3rd, but we were still in the top six, I'd have taken it. Huge test of character over the coming weeks, destiny is totally in our hands with many games against the teams around us, time for the lads to go out and prove we deserve it.

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Bluewelshman added 18:36 - Mar 1 Lets be honest...this has more to do with a 30 million pound Naaarwich side and a 110 thousand pound Ipswich side that lets face it has been punching above its weight. Don't get me wrong, I'm not moaning about the team or MM as they are doing better than I thought they would. The only issues I have is that MM isn't playing to the team's strengths, Chambers is not a right back he is a centre back, we have three good quality defenders, why not a 5-3-2 with wing backs Parr and Mings. At the very least we will keep solid at the back. Whatever happens this season we need to be behind the team and the manager, because...hey...we are a team built on a shoe string budget still within reach of promotion. COYB

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blueboy1981 added 18:38 - Mar 1 ........ why, oh why, did any of us expect more ?- a huge let down - even more so for the 'in Mick we trust' people who must now be seeing the light. Never was up for it from the start is the reality of it - just look at the team selection, went there for a point at best, and wasn't even good enough for that. Truth is:- We are pretenders, not good enough, and just above mid table beckons. Prove me wrong MM - and start doing so asap please. Very disappointed, and possibly season over to be honest.

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HackneyBlue added 18:44 - Mar 1 blueboy1981 Im as disappointed as the rest but pathetic comments such as season over make you look silly,did you know we are 3 points from automatic promotion,i agree we have been let down today but engage brain.
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Seasider added 18:45 - Mar 1 Oh dear me,a lot of us feared the worst and that is what we got. Dinosaur Micks hoofball game went out with Wimbledon,and seems more on a level with Eastern Counties than Championship A dozen of us watching today were all of the same opinion,that Ipswich were poor,a bad advert for football;and would be lucky to stay in the top 6 on this display bearing in mind the forthcoming games. This stubborn Yorkshireman refuses to change formation or style despite picking up less than half the points available this year,and persists in playing players out of position and his favorites,Tabby being the most obvious;to the exclusion of Jonny Parr especially. I expect MM will big up Norwich in his post match interview,which I have yet to hear,and also say that we matched them in most areas losing to a good shot and a lucky deflection.The sycophantic interviewers will be careful not to say anything that will upset him for fear of getting an expletive reply,and so it goes on.# Off to Leeds midweek then in the hope that Ipswich will play the ball on the ground a bit more(not expecting much).Also a couple of changes at least and perhaps different formation;but not holding breath as could die from lack of air!!!

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brittaniaman added 18:48 - Mar 1 I just wonder if MM. has taken us as far as he can now ??? If he keeps choosing his mates to play then he has !! 9pts to play for this week but sadly 3 of them have gone already !! We have got to get to grips by Wed. because we could be out of the top 6 by the time we lay play Leeds and that is reality, Ever since we played Southampton we lost our consistency (up down up down) and we have started off March badly. Can we ever get that form of November, December back ??? That could be the reason why we did not invest in the window, just a thought ??

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blueboy1981 added 18:50 - Mar 1 ......... and still - people keep coming up with excuses: i.e limited budget, 10K team, etc; etc; - none of which HAVE to apply to ONLY us. But some still think it does.
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WestNorfolk_Blue added 18:54 - Mar 1 I agree it is down to money which is why i dont bash on about Mick McC and as mentioned we didnt speculate in the transfer window. Other teams are now sussing us out and making plans to exploit our lack of midfield play. Must stop the blunders at the back and drop Smith, move Chambo across and pull in Parr, then please bring in some craft in the middle ie Williams type. The best chance we have had of promotion for years and we are not taking it. Now lets go after dirty Leeds and get three points please.

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blueherts added 19:21 - Mar 1 It is all hindsight but we do and did miss Dids and Bishop in there today You need your strongest players fit if you gonna compete There best player was a 32 year old Midfielder who was out the door last year !- Hoolihan Smith is woeful at the moment , Mings needs a fireside chat Sears is the one bright light At least if he had bought Conolly ( whi wasnt even on bench) or Anderson we may have had some width ! BUT - This is not a top quality league this year unlike last year when Leicester were so much better ) so many more twists and turns Yesterday showed up some strange results but our run in - on paper - is brutal ! wood n murphy and sears off em

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TimmyH added 19:22 - Mar 1 Crikey - if I were a new subscriber to Sky Sports this year I certainly wouldn't be hasty in watching any of our games, we've played in 3 all fairly poor games, looked limited in creativity and failed to score. Doesn't look like a team getting promoted to the Premiership! I remember following Burley's teams toward the late 90's in the 'play-off years' - players like Dyer, Petta, Taricco, Holland, Johnson etc. a team so so much better than this one which is vying for promotion, McCarty's done well on the miniscule budget but I know where I'd rather be at this time - in the Delorean!

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dirtydingusmagee added 19:31 - Mar 1 very dissapointed,not so much that we lost [to be honest i expected us to ] but the way we lost.The derby games should have both teams really fired up, we were not .The first half performance was bloody awful.Kick and hope tactics in a strong wind,gave possesion away throughout first half.Second half we began passing and as a result put the budgies under pressure at times.Freddie Sears was head and shoulders above the rest of the team, in that he did try,came close and show some spirit.The rest of the team showed non of the grit and determination a derby should bring out and seemed to have lost their way and any real desire to get promoted.A win for us today would have boosted our chances significantly,but the chance was wasted .Budgies first goal was unstopable ,but 2nd was a shambles.On todays performance id say playoffs will be unlikely,two more big games this week and we could be heading mid table .Sorry to say it but ,we were out thought,out worked and beaten by a better team today .

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Bob7881 added 19:31 - Mar 1 Very poor today, since Southampton the wheels have fell off. We are in the top six because Murphy is having the season of his career without his goals where would we be. The last decent manager we had was Joe. lets be honest if we got promoted we would have to buy a new squad.
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blueherts added 19:38 - Mar 1 Bob - based on last season Leicester - who romped the league really = ALL THE TEAMS would need a new squad - Such a HUGE gulf between Prem and Champ If we make the play offs but do not go up this year that , to me , is progress year on year and probably the best outcome
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warktheline added 19:52 - Mar 1 Same old people at it again, always waiting for the cracks to appear. All too often accusing others of 'blind faith', but never addressing their own flawed personalities. In life, as many older people, by now should realise, to criticize is easier than to praise. Other clubs situations don't come into the equation, its our club that matters, and as such most can appreciate our current position. I'm extremely disappointed, but not 'disenchanted' as described by one 'tunnel vision' supporter. Don't think this is the right time to take flight, one must do as they see fit! Yes I do see wrong in some decisions made by McCarthy, but I can also see the positives made, the question is CAN YOU?

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bluesince84 added 19:53 - Mar 1 I got s lot of stick in the week saying how it doesn't matter who we but, tab will always play no matter what n he is awful. So to all the people who slated me, answers on a post card please. Hoof hoof hoof hoof hoof hoof hoof hoof hoof
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blueboy1981 added 19:59 - Mar 1 warktheline ............... you're letting it show again .......... after some very good, rational posts. Shame that. Even you cannot realistically condone today's team selection, and subsequent result. Where were the POSITIVES today ....... ?????
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