A DRAMATIC second half saw the Canaries victorious after their efforts secured them a 4-0 win.

Wes Hoolahan gave City the lead in the 55th minute with his first Canary goal since joining Norwich last summer. The midfielder was fed through by Darel Russell where he rounded Barnsley 'keeper Heinz Muller and slotted the ball into the back of the net.

Then 20 minutes later Jamie Cureton on his return to Carrow Road doubled the Canaries' lead with a lob. Sammy Clingan then furthered the jubilation after 88 minutes from the penalty spot, after substitute Matty Pattison was fouled and Darel Russell's close range header finished the scoring in injury time.

The visitors had the first chance within minutes of a first half full of clear-cut chances but neither side finding the back of the net. Maceo Rigters raced towards the City goal and slid an effort narrowly wide of David Marshall's left-hand post.

Twenty minutes into the game saw Wes Hoolahan intercept the ball and break down the middle of the field to cut the ball swiftly back to Darel Russell just behind the penalty spot. The midfielder stabbed towards goal with a shot which looked sure to open the scoring, only for the Tykes' Bobby Hassell to kick the ball away to safety.

Hoolahan beat three red shirts and stung the fingertips of the Barnsley stopper with a fierce left-footed drive in the 38th minute but it wasn't enough to earn the Canaries the lead.

Despite a determined City team applying pressure to Simon Davey's side, the scores remained goal-less as the half-time whistle was blown.

Half-time: Norwich 0 Barnsley 0

Ten minutes into the action and Hoolahan enjoyed his first goal since joining the Club last summer. After a pacy Russell threaded the ball to the Irish midfielder, he rounded Barnsley's 'keeper and from a sharp angle on the right, fired into the Tyke's net and gave the Canaries the lead in front an ecstatic home crowd.

Fresh from his return from a loan spell at Oakwell, Jamie Cureton showed his true yellow and green colours when he took the score to 2-0 in the 75th minute. Jonathan Grounds played a long ball to the striker who battled past the Barnsley defence and lifted the ball over the helpless Tyke's stopper and into the empty net.

When substitute Matty Pattison was awarded a penalty after being pushed by Marciano Van Homoet, an assured Sammy Clingan stepped up the spot and slammed the ball to the left of Muller as the 'keeper fell to his right.

Darel Russell took the score to 4-0 when substitute David Bell chipped the ball into the six-yard box, which fell to the head of Russell who put it past the Tyke's stopper from close range.

Full-time: Norwich 4 Barnsley 0

City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Croft (Bell 89), Clingan, Cureton( Lupoli 83), Doherty, Hoolahan (Pattison 80), Grounds, Fotheringham (c), Russell, Bertrand. Subs not used: Nelson (GK), Cort.

Barnsley: Muller, Hassell, Kozluk, Moore (c), Leon (Butterfield 52), De Silva, Souza, Campbell-Ryce, Macken, van Homoet, Rigters (Odejayi 61). Subs not used: Steele (GK), El Haimour, Potter.