A HAT-TRICK from former Colchester star Jamie Cureton helped the Canaries to sink his old side as Norwich ran out 5-1 winners, easing their relegation worries.
Jon Otsemobor got the ball rolling for City early in the first half, marking his first ever Norwich goal with an excellent individual effort.
Cureton then took centre stage, pouncing to volley home Darren Huckerby's cross from the right with a well hit volley from six-yards out.
City had been well on top in the second half but looked like hitting the self-destruct button shortly before the break when Jason Shackell's mistimed header fell straight into the path of former Norwich loan man Kevin Lisbie to score.
But after the break Norwich turned the heat up on their opponents, with Cureton converting from the spot after Matty Pattison had been fouled.
His hat-trick was completed with just two minutes remaining, with the striker bending a shot into the bottom corner after good work by substitute Maceo Rigters and Dion Dublin.
And in injury time Dublin, who had been denied a spectacular goal by the crossbar earlier in the half, weighed in with the goal of the match, chipping visiting 'keeper Gerken from the edge of the area.
Darel Russell was restored to the City line-up after completing his latest suspension. He took his place in midfield alongside Mark Fotheringham and Matty Pattison.
In attack boss Glenn Roeder opted for the pairing of Dion Dublin and Jamie Cureton, with midweek loan signing Maceo Rigters left on the bench alongside Ched Evans.
Evans was joined among the substitutes by Lee Croft, Alex Pearce and Mo Camara, with Roeder deciding to name five outfield players on the bench.
It was Colchester who had the first effort on goal, with captain Johnnie Jackson firing over from the edge of the area after the giant figure of Clive Platt headed the ball into his path.
But Norwich were quickly into their stride, with Pattison causing all manner of problems down the left in the early stages.
And City were rewarded for their bright beginning with a goal on six minutes - although it came from the most unlikeliest of sources.
Fotheringham collected the ball just outside the centre circle before finding Jon Otsemobor outside him on the right. The fleet-footed full-back got his head down and charged towards the area, with his run apparently taking the Us by surprise.
And the former Liverpool man darted past one tackle to get inside the area, and although Russell almost collided with him, the defender kept his head to fire into the roof of the net from 10 yards out for his first ever City goal.
He wheeled away in celebration in front of an ecstatic Barclay crowd, with Norwich's nerves in this crucial relegation battle instantly settled.
Despite taking the early advantage, City were failing to pressurise the visiting defence too much, and in fact it was Geraint Williams' side who were looking the more threatening, with Jackson again going close with an angled drive after finding space on the corner of the box.
But on 22 minutes Norwich should have doubled their lead through the move of the match so far.
Bertrand showed a nifty change of feet before playing the ball inside to Pattison. His first touch was perfect, playing in the on-loan Chelsea man behind the visiting defence.
He looked up and found Russell unmarked no more than six yards out, but instead of calmly side-footing the ball home, the midfield dived in and sent it wide of Gerken's near post.
It was a bad chance to miss, and just minutes later the Canaries were guilty of wastefulness again, with this time Huckerby the culprit.
Dublin found his former Coventry team mate with a wonderful cross-field ball which left the winger with a clear run on goal. But as Huckerby got into the area he seemed to hesitate, allowing Gerken to smother at his feet.
They had been two excellent chances and you were fearful the home side might be made to pay for the misses.
Kem Izzet tested Marshall's handling with a low bouncer from 20-yards on 32 minutes which the Scotland 'keeper did well to clutch to his chest as City continued to give the visitors too much space on the outskirts of the penalty area.
But on 36 minutes the home fans' nerves were settled somewhat when City grabbed a second through former Colchester man Cureton.
It was vintage Huckerby who created the goal, tormenting John White down the right flank before getting to the by-line. And his end product did not disappoint either, picking out Cureton six yards out for the striker to ram the boos of the visiting supporters down their throats with a first time volley through Gerken's legs and into the net.
But just as it seemed City could relax a little, they hit the self-destruct button to allow Colchester a lifeline.
A big clearance from the back seemed to be easy work for Shackell, but the defender seemed to be deceived by the flight of the ball on the wind, merely flicking it into the path of former City loan man Lisbie, who rounded Marshall to score with a simple tap-in.
And it was Colchester finishing the half the stronger, winning four successive corners - one of which Marshall almost punched into his own net - before the pressure was eased by the big Scotsman coming off his line to collect cleanly.
Half time: Norwich City 2-1 Colchester
Roeder made one switch at the break, replacing Doherty with Alex Pearce, and the on-loan Reading man almost got on the scoresheet within the first 45 seconds of the second half.
Norwich won a free kick away on the right, and Colchester struggled to deal with Fotheringham's in-swinger, and after the ball fell invitingly to Pearce 12 yards out, he could only lash an off-balanced effort well high and wide.
It had been a good start to the second period nevertheless, and on 48 minutes Bertrand struck a low shot which cannoned back off the legs of Gerken after good build-up play involving Huckerby.
Norwich were turning the screw, and on 52 minutes Dublin was denied a spectacular goal to add to his collection by the width of the crossbar.
There seemed to be little danger to Colchester when Dublin brought a high ball under control all of 40 yards from goal. But the veteran turned and hit a lobbed shot which caught Gerken completely in no-man's land, with the ball flying over his head and seemingly into the empty net.
Unfortunately, it had just an ounce too much pace, with the ball cannoning back off the crossbar and into Cureton's path, who was spared embarrassment by the assistant's flag after sending the rebound into the crowd.
But a minute later and Cureton was given a much better chance to score - this time from the penalty spot, and he took it with aplomb.
Pattison won the spot-kick, with the midfielder felled by Phil Ifil on the corner of the six-yard box. And up stepped Cureton to send the ball to the left of Gerken as the 'keeper went the other way, making it the first time this season the Canaries had managed three goals in a home league game.
Before the re-start Pattison made way for Lee Croft, with the former Newcastle man given a great ovation as he left the pitch.
And still City pushed for more goals, with Gerken having to produce an excellent last-ditch stop to prevent Cureton from grabbing a hat-trick after Jackson's blind back-pass gave him a one-on-one opportunity.
The third goal seemed to have a psychological effect on the Canaries as they started to produce their best football of the game, with Croft firing over with his left foot on 61 minutes following a nice move across the width of the pitch.
Colchester cotinued to battle though, and on 67 minutes Marshall was forced to palm away a long distance effort from substitute Vernon at full stretch for a corner.
On 70 minutes Lisbie's game came to an end, with Williams searching for some inspiration through Wordsworth - Anthony, in this case.
But it was the Canaries who needed to guard against fluffing their lines, with complaceny their biggest enemy as the game entered the final 20 minutes.
With 78 minutes on the clock, Rigters was handed his debut at the expense of Huckerby, with the Dutch forward joining Dublin in attack with Cureton moving into a wider role.
Colchester's biggest threat - literally - proved to be the giant frame of Platt, and on 83 minutes Marshall had to claw the ball over the bar after the striker had directed another header on target from a corner.
But with two minutes remaining Norwich wrapped things up - with Cureton completing a very satisfying hat-trick against his former side. Rigters did well, getting down the left before finding Dublin with a low ball inside the penalty area. His first touch was sublime, nudging the ball back to Cureton just inside the box, and he sent a first time curling effort beyond Gerken for his first ever Canary hat-trick.
Even then Jackson had a chance to reduce the arrears with a low shot on the turn which Marshall did well to palm away, but with the game deep in injury time Dublin wrapped the game up with the goal of the game.
Russell's low shot was miss-hit, but found it's way through to Dublin just inside the area. And after the crossbar had denied him earlier in the half, Dublin made no mistake this time, chipping into the top corner and beyond the grasp of Gerken. It was a fitting way to end the game.
Full time: Norwich City 5-1 Colchester
GOLDEN GOAL TIMES: 05:42, 35:05, 40:23, 52:58, 87:00, 90:00
Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Doherty (Pearce 46), Bertrand, Fotheringham, Russell, Pattison (Croft 53), Huckerby (Rigters 78), Dublin, Cureton. Subs: Camara, Evans.
Colchester: Gerken, White, Jackson (c), Platt, Izzet, Ifil, Virgo, Lisbie (Wordsworth 70), Balogh, Hammond, Elito (Vernon 46). Subs: Bankole, Baldwin, Guy.
