DESPITE mounting a frantic late assault on the visitors' goal, City fell victim to a 1-0 defeat at home to ten man QPR at Carrow Road.
The only goal of the game came for the visitors in the 34th minute, from Martin Rowlands from a thrice-taken free-kick which was enough to see the Londoners return to the capital victorious after a frustrating game for the Canaries.
A first half belonged to QPR who scored the only goal of the game after being reduced to ten men in the 25th minute. QPR's Connolly was sent off after ploughing into Pattison, knocking the midfielder flying directly in front of the away dugout. Connolly had already received a yellow card after ten minutes when he brought down Antoine Sibierski.
QPR's goal came in slightly bizarre fashion after 34 minutes, when Captain Martin Rowlands smoothly drilled home a low free-kick past David Marshall. It was the third free-kick awarded to the visitors by referee Rob Shoebridge inside a minute after the first two efforts struck City skipper Mark Fotheringham.
FRUSTRATING: Wes Hoolahan battles
with Mikele Leigertwood
Half time: Norwich 0 QPR 1
The Canaries dominated possession in the second half.
A clash of heads in the 60th minute between City's John Kennedy and QPR's Dexter Blackstock saw the Norwich defender helped of the pitch, making way for a home debut for loanee Jonathan Grounds. Replacing Wes Hoolahan, Jamie Cureton came on six minutes later, and soon picked up the second head injury of the evening, leaving the pitch with a blood stained shirt. The striker soon returned, wearing a Terry Butcher-esque bandage.
DISAPPOINTMENT: City lose to ten-man Rangers
Cureton's late shot which hit Grounds and Sibierski's header inches wide from a brilliant Bertrand cross were the closest Norwich came to getting back on to level terms, but it wasn't to be and Rangers claimed all three points.
NORWICH: Marshall, Kennedy (Grounds 63), Stefanovic, Sibierski, Hoolahan (Cureton 66), Fotheringham (C), Lupoli (Croft 45), Russell, Bertrand, Omozusi, Pattison. Subs not used: Nelson, Koroma
QPR: Cerny, Delaney, Stewart, Mahon, Leigertwood, Blackstock (Agyemang 77) , Rowlands (C), Ramage, Connolly, Cook (Gorkss 30), Ledesma (Buszaky 82). Subs not used: Camp, Parejo.
