THE Canaries found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline at the Ricoh Arena and were left to consider the repercussions of two second half red cards as they slumped to defeat against Coventry.
Norwich were already a goal down to Jay Tabb's early strike after a disappointing first half in which Norwich failed to muster a serious attack.
But after a bright opening to the second half they were reduced to 10-men when Gary Doherty, playing at right-back after the first half substitutiion of Juan Velasco, picked up a second yellow card. It meant the Canaries were left chasing shadows, and were indebted to the goalkeeping of David Marshall, who produced a number of fine stops to prevent Chris Coleman's side from extending their lead.
Five minutes from time Darel Russell was also given his marching orders for a second red in his first game back since completing his last suspension, with the midfielder and Doherty now set to miss Tuesday night's home match with Stoke. Russell could even face an additional game suspension after his recent dismissal at Leicester.
Incredibly, the Canaries still almost snatched a point when Jamie Cureton almost repeated his Watford heroics with a long-range volley, but Andy Marshall was equal to it. All in all it was a very disappointing day at the office for a Norwich side who never got out of the blocks and will need a vastly improved display on Tuesday to take anything off the Potters.
City boss Glenn Roeder made two changes from the side which started the 1-1 draw with Watford in midweek.
Out went Alex Pearce and Ched Evans, with Jason Shackell returning at centre back and Darel Russell slotting straight back into midfield after completing a three match suspension as the Norwich manager opted for a five-man midfield.
Matty Pattison looked set to start on the left of the central trio, supported from wide by Ryan Bertrand. That meant former Sky Blues' favourite Dion Dublin was given the task of operating up front on his own.
The home side looked set to operate a similar system, with recently appointed boss Chris Coleman looking to build on the midweek 0-0 draw with relegation rivals QPR.
The opening minutes of the game were only notable by the boos aimed at Dublin by sections of the home crowd, still bitter at his departure for local rivals Aston Villa back in the Sky Blues' Premiership days.
But on six minutes the home side took the lead, although the goal came with City temporarily down to 10 men.
Russell had left the pitch to change his shirt, presumably after leaving some blood on it from an early clash with Michael Doyle. And with the midfielder off the pitch, the Sky Blues took full advantage.
A raking pass from captain Stephen Hughes went over the head of Juan Velasco in the right channel, finding winger Jay Tabb. And he darted inside the Spanish defender before lashing a low shot into the net at Marshall's near post.
City were starting the game like they had done at Watford in midweek, allowing the home side to enjoy the early impetus, and on 12 minutes they were lucky not to find themselves 2-0 down when Kevin Thornton's low shot bent a yard wide of Marshall's right post after Pattison had been guilty of surrendering possession cheaply on the edge of his own area.
The early goal had certainly lifted Coleman's relegation battlers, and they continued to attack at will while City continued to struggle to escape their own half.
With the tide showing little sign of changing, Roeder moved quickly to make his first change of the afternoon on 21 minutes, with Alex Pearce coming on for Velasco. Pearce went straight into central defence, with Doherty forced to play right-back.
And seven minutes later the next change came, as Roeder went back to the drawing board. Camara was the unlucky player to make way, with Jamie Cureton thrown into attack to give some much needed support to Dublin at the sharp end.
Despite the changes, Norwich continued to struggle to get a foothold in the game, with Cureton's offside on 35 minutes from Marshall's simple punt up field summing-up the quality of the first half for the shot-shy Canaries.
Coventry were still looking the most likely to score again, and on 42 minutes Marshall was off his line well to smoother the ball at the feet of Mifsud after the lively forward had wriggled into space inside the area.
Doherty earned himself the first booking of the game as the half entered stoppage time for a blatant tug back on Tabb as he threatened to sprint into the box after the makeshift right-back had lost his footing.
It was another difficult moment for the Canaries, with the visitors grateful to get into the changing rooms only a goal behind.
Half time: Coventry 1-0 Norwich City
There were no other changes at half time for Roeder, as he sent his side out looking for far more than they had given him in the opening 45 minutes.
And to their credit Norwich were on the front foot quickly, with Croft earning a free kick on the right corner of the box after Osbourne fell on top of the ball and used his hand as the winger tried to get past him.
The free kick was well worked, with Fotheringham deceiving everyone by rolling the ball across the area to an unmarked Cureton, who saw his curling effort well saved by Andy Marshall.
It had been a promising start to the second period, but Coventry sounded another warning just a minute later when Scott Dann got the better of Shackell, only to see his shot from the penalty spot under pressure finish well wide.
But just when Norwich looked to be finding a way back into the match they were handed a major blow on 53 minutes when they were reduced to 10 men.
With Doherty already on a yellow, his late tackle on the tricky Tabb just over the halfway line always spelt danger. And sure enough referee Taylor showed a second yellow to the Doc, giving the Canaries an even bigger test.
You had to feel for Doherty, with the defender being asked to play in an extremely uncharacteristic position and paying the price for his over commitment.
The Canaries were beginning to find themselves in serious danger of losing control of the game totally, with first Hughes firing a pile-driver inches over the bar before Russell earned himself a yellow for a high challenge on the same player.
Fotheringham was next in the book on 61 minutes, with Hughes apparently a marked man. And moments later Ched Evans was thrown into the fray in place of Croft as Roeder went for a 3-4-2 formation, with Dublin dropping into defence.
Moments after he came on Marshall was forced to produce an excellent one-handed save to keep out Elliott Ward's hooked effort from six yards after the big defender latched onto a deep free kick from Danny Fox.
The Canaries saw a half chance come and go on 70 minutes when Osbourne failed to deal with a Russell cross from the right, allowing the ball to reach Cureton just inside the area. But the striker did not connect well with his left-footed effort, allowing the home side to block and tidy up the danger.
At the other end Marshall needed to be alert again, this time to push away a fierce strike from Hughes, with Shackell alert to clear the rebound under pressure from Mifsud.
It was beginning to feel like David Marshall versus Coventry City, and three minutes later the big Scottish international made another excellent save, this time from Mifsud at point blank range after the little striker had broken into the box and was handed a clear sight of goal.
Norwich continued to push for an equaliser, and while the score was still only 1-0 you fancied them to snatch something, with a good volley from Dublin on 79 minutes blocked by Osbourne, with the City player appealing for handball in vain.
But things really did look dead and buried for the Canaries with five minutes left when Russell was sent-off, reducing Norwich to 10 men.
The midfielder should have known better than to have dragged down Tabb from behind as the winger looked to break away into the City half. But he brought his man down anyway, giving the referee little choice but to show him a second yellow.
Norwich were predictably leaving themselves vulnerable at the back, and on the 90 minute mark it took a great tackle by Shackell to deny substitute Robbie Simpson a clean shot when through on goal.
But with the game deep in injury time the Canaries almost snatched the unlikliest of points. Evans found Cureton with a downward header 20 yards from goal and, like at Watford in midweek, the striker swivelled and hit a volley which looked to be bending into the far corner. That was until Marshall leapt at full stretch to punch it clear, with Bertrand unable to make anything of the rebound.
Full time: Coventry 1-0 Norwich City
Coventry City: Marshall, Fox, Ward, Hughes (c), Doyle, Osbourne, Mifsud, Tabb, Best (Simpson 87), Dann, Thornton. Subs: Ireland, Hall, Andrews, Gray.
Norwich City: Marshall, Velasco (Pearce 21), Doherty, Shackell, Camara (Cureton 28), Croft (Evans 61), Fotheringham (c), Russell, Pattison, Bertrand, Dublin. Subs: Gilks, Gibbs.
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