THE Canaries secure their second 1-0 win of the week, beating play-off chasers Stoke City 1-0 thanks again to a Darren Huckerby goal.
This time, instead of individual brilliance like his winner against Birmingham, Huckerby's strike was all about great team play.
The decisive moment came in the 31st minute, Huckerby finding Martin on the edge of the area before the teenager's delightful back-heel set up his strike partner for a low finish into the corner.
It was a goal worthy to win any game, and so it proved, despite City wasting more excellent openings to further increase their advantage.
Their failure to take any more chances looked likely to set-up a nervy finale, that was until Stoke's Andy Griffin was dismissed with a straight red card in the closing moments for a late lunge on Safri.
In the end it was a deserved win for Norwich and puts them on the 50-point mark in the Championship, generally regarded as the total to secure survival in the division.
City boss Peter Grant named an unchanged squad from the side which defeated league leaders Birmingham 1-0 in midweek.
This meant Darren Huckerby was allowed to continue in attack following his wondergoal against the Blues alongside youngster Chris Martin.
Former Stoke man Luke Chadwick had to make do with a place on the bench, with Lee Croft continuing on the right side of midfield.
For Stoke there was a return to Carrow Road for former Canary Darel Russell.
It was the visitors who got things underway at a sunny Carrow Road, with the home fans picking up from where they left off on Tuesday in good voice.
And it was Stoke who had the first shot of the game inside the first minute, with Liam Lawrence blasting over from the edge of the box after latching onto a knockdown by Mamady Sidibe.
But on eight minutes City should have taken the lead.
Shackell's chipped pass found Lappin on the left, and the Scotsman delivered an excellent ball into the path of Huckerby just ahead of him.
The frontman cut inside onto his favoured right foot and swung over a cross to the far post.
It was met by a diving header by Chris Martin just eight yards out, but with the goal gaping the teenager could only turn the ball a yard wide of the far post when he might have done better.
On the 16 minute mark City came close again.
Visiting right back Gabbi Zakuani lost his footing when trying to intercept a pass, allowing Huckerby to nip in ahead of him.
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CRUNCH: Saf gets stuck in |
He got to the edge of the area and struck a low shot which Simonsen saved well down at his near post.
On 20 minutes City were reduced to 10-men temporarily when Adam Drury pulled up with what looked to be a muscle strain. He went off the pitch to receive treatment, but looked to be in significant discomfort.
It meant Drury's game was over, with Mark Fotheringham brought on to replace him.
This saw Lappin switched to left-back, with Fozzy covering on the left side of midfield. Huckerby took over the duties as team captain.
On 26 minutes Zakuani's indifferent start to the game continued when he was awarded a booking for going straight through the back of Huckerby as he threatened to spring clear from inside his own half.
City's players were really finding themselves in the wars, with Doherty having to change his shirt on the half hour mark after bloodying his nose.
But less than a minute later any pain he was feeling would have subsided as Norwich took the lead with a wonderfully worked goal.
Huckerby collected the ball 30 yards from goal before firing a ball into the feet of Martin just outside the area.
The 18-year-old brought the ball under control before returning the favour to Huckerby with the most delicate of back-heels.
And the man of the moment made no mistake, sliding a low shot beyond Simonsen for his 12th of the season.
It was a great goal, and moments later Hughes looked to make it two, firing a long range strike over the bar as City began to turn on the style.
Norwich were well on top by now, and on 36 minutes only the width of a post denied them a second.
Huckerby took a short corner to Safri, and he sent in a bending ball to the edge of the six yard box which was met by a firm header by Jason Shackell.
With Simonsen rooted to the spot, the ball rebounded off the post and landed straight back at the feet of the defender.
He was taken by surprise by the rebound, and could only sidefoot a weak effort straight at Simonsen in the middle of the goal. Even then there were half-hearted appeals that the ball had crossed the line.
Two minutes later and there were loud shouts for a penalty when Zakuani, who had not covered himself in glory so far, fell onto the ball in the box after losing his footing again and appeared to handle in the process.
But referee Paul Taylor waved play on, with Croft narrowly failing to connect with a cross to the far post by the ever-alert Huckerby.
It had been a good half by Norwich, but they would have hoped to have had more than the one goal to show for it.
Half time: Norwich City 1-0 Stoke
At the half time break visiting boss Tony Pulis made two changes, replacing the hapless Zakuani for Lee Martin and Jon Parkin with Ricardo Fuller.
The first action of the half saw Jonathan Fortune almost turn past his own 'keeper at the near post after miscuing from a low Huckerby cross, but Simonsen had watched the ball well and was able to collect.
On 50 minutes City wasted yet another chance to double their lead.
A lovely move between Croft and Safri in midfield saw the latter release Hughes down the right.
The defender had bags of space and drove towards the edge of the box before drilling a fine cross to the far post.
It was inch perfect for Fotheringham, but the Scot got his footwork all wrong, stumbling over the ball and allowing Simonsen to collect.
On 52 minutes Pulis made his third and final change of the game, swapping Diao for John Eustace.
A minute later and Stoke forced the first meaningful save from Warner, the big 'keeper getting down well to stop a Fuller shot by his left post.
Stoke began to threaten a revival around the mid-50 minute mark, winning a serious of corners and putting the Canaries defence under all sorts of pressure.
But Norwich were dangerous on break, and on 58 minutes had another clear sight of goal through such a move.
Another visiting corner was cleared out to Lappin deep inside his own half. And the former St Mirren man showed great composure to chip a ball over the defence and into the path of the on-rushing Huckerby.
With Simonsen straying off his line to narrow the angle, Huckerby was tempted into trying the lob. But he under-hit his effort, allowing Simonsen to clutch the ball with ease.
City were still good value for their lead, but with only a goal in it the game remained balanced on a knife edge, with a moment of brilliance from Stoke or an error from City potentially costly for the Canaries.
On 76 minutes Grant made his first change of the afternoon, Croft making way for Luke Chadwick.
On 79 minutes Stoke sounded another warning that the game was not yet over, with Sidibe testing Warner with a raking effort from 30 yards out.
A minute later and Dion Dublin entered the fray at the expense of the hard-working Chris Martin.
Stoke continued to look for an equaliser, and on 83 minutes Martin saw a dipping volley from the edge of the box fly just over Warner's bar after the Canaries only managed to half clear a corner.
But on 84 minutes Stoke were reduced to 10-men when Andy Griffin was sent off for a lunge on Safri by the dug-outs.
Replays showed the Stoke man had got the ball, but his challenge also appeared over the top and was clearly enough to convince Taylor to produce the red card.
Full time: Norwich City 1-0 Stoke
Norwich City: Warner, Drury (c) (Fotheringham 23), Shackell, Huckerby, Croft (Chadwick 76), Safri, Hughes, Lappin, Etuhu, Doherty, Martin (Dublin 80). Subs: Gallacher, McVeigh.
Stoke City: Simonsen, Hoefkens, Fortune, Parkin, Sidibe, Higginbotham (c), Russell, Diao, Griffin, Lawrence, Zakuani. Subs: Hoult, Eustace, Fuller, Martin, Dickinson.
