CITY Assistant Manager Ian Butterworth blamed missed chances and a couple of moments of sloppy defending for the Canaries' 2-1 defeat away to promoted side Brentford.
With newly-appointed manager Paul Lambert watching from the stands at Griffin Park, City matched their hosts in an entertaining first half which saw good chances spurned by both sides.
But Brentford emerged the stronger side after the break and the Norwich defence was undone by a fairly basic opening goal, David Hunt's long throw from the right met by a glancing header from Ryan Dickson 10 yards out.
In the 71st minute City midfielder Matt Gill handled on the edge of the area as he tried to block a shot and Hunt punished the Canaries with a piledriver of a free-kick which flew through the wall and past Alnwick to make it 2-0.
The introduction of substitute striker Chris Martin into the fray gave the Canaries much more bite late in the game and they rallied to give the Bees some nervous moments - but in the end a free-kick from Owain Tudur Jones in injury time was their solitary contribution to the scoreline.
There was time in the last action of the match for Doherty to fail by inches to connect with a header in the six-yard box which surely would have levelled the match for Norwich, but it wasn't to be.
Butterworth told First News after the game: "We've done very well first half, we've defended very well and possibly on reflection should have been two goals up. But you've got to take your chances at this level. I think there's some stats that say if you score the first goal then 70 per cent or so of the time you go on to win the game, so it's disappointing we haven't taken any of a couple of good chances we had to get our noses in front.
"In the second half probably the smallest player on the pitch scored their first goal in Ryan Dickson and that was disappointing as we'd done a lot of work on picking up in training. And the free-kick went through the wall, I think one of the lads twisted at the last minute and it's gone through, so that's disappointing as well.
"But to be fair there was commitment and character shown by the lads right to the end with Owain nicking a goal back and then right at the death there a half-chance for Gary Doherty to nick the draw. We just need a little bit of luck to get us there but at the moment we can't keep it going for 90 minutes and that's got to improve. We have to be more ruthless."
Asked how he felt about being asked to take the team with new first team boss Paul Lambert looking on, Butterworth said: "It's part of football isn't it? I have been asked to do my job and prepare the team and that is what I have done. We have the day off tomorrow and then we're meeting the manager on Thursday so obviously we'll take it from there."
Final score: Brentford 2 City 1. City were guilty of not taking several good chances in an even first half and a productive 20 minute second-half spell for the Bees was enough for them to claim all three points, with Tudur Jones' late free-kick only a consolation for City.
90+4: Right at death a ball is pumped high into the Brentford box, Doherty can't quite connect and Price collects.
90+3: Holt pushed another free-kick. Hoolahan feeds ball out to right to Hughes, whose cross is blocked, Hoolahan's second attempt is again blocked and Brentford break.
90+1: Four minutes of extra time. City with free-kick after Holt held 20-yards from goal. Tudur Jones to take, steps up and puts strong shot past Price to pull one back for City.
90th: "Why no Adeyemi tonight, anyone know? Not even on the bench." wstarcanary
89th: Hoolahan crosses fromright but it's just a little too high for McDonald to reach and it goes over his head and away.
87th: Another good efoort by Chris Martin with his right foot, Price spills and as Holt looks to claim rebound the defender clears but the former Shewsbury striker is deemed offside. Cleveland Taylor replaces Sam Saunders for Bees.
86th: Another long-throw from right, which Alnwick punches clear and shot comes in but wide.
85th: Drury puts in ball to Martin, turns his marker and curls right-footed effort, but Lewis Price turns round his post.
84th: Spillane replaced by Jon Otsemobor for City's final substitution. 7,395 at Griffin Park this evening, 1,850 of them Canary fans.
82nd: Saunders with wide effort.
81st: Grant Holt booked for foul on Osborne. Chance for McDonald who gets break in box, attempts to turn but his shot is blocked. Ball falls to Martin but has to wait for it to drop and then lobs his effort just over Bees' bar.
80th: Move out of defence by City through Hoolahan linking up with Chris Martin on right but the former Academy player's cross is too high and drifts out.
76th: Steve Kabba replaces Weston for Brentford.
75th: Second substitution for the Canaries - Stephen Hughes comes on for Matt Gill.
72nd: City substitution - Whaley replaced by Chris Martin. Gill with effort, which is well wide of Price's right-hand post.
71st: Wall lines up for free-kick. David Hunt extends lead for home side with thumping free-kick low into the back of the net.
70th: Another throw-in by Hunt deep into box. Matt Gill handles just on edge of box - free-kick to Brentford.
68th: Gemma here replacing Gareth up to the final whistle. McDonald down injured at moment after going in on ball with 'keeper. Receiving treatment from Simon Spencer.
65th: Dickson lets fly from 35 yards but Alnwick wasn't troubled, watching it wide.
64th: Drury back on the pitch and defending well, Weston beat Doherty in the left corner and crossed low and high but Drury was there to force Saunders wide.
62nd: "I sure hope Lambert is capable of turning things round as nobody else seems able to." chrisbetts18
61st: Alnwick with a great save low down with his feet. Brentford applying the pressure, ball flying around the box and Wood it was with the shot on the turn that Alnwick did well to save and keep City in this game. Drury is down injured in the City box at the moment receiving treatment - Lappin an able replacement if needed. Drury gingerly leaves the pitch after receiving treatment.
60th: Doherty clears the small Bill Axbey Stand on the far side with a clearance under pressure, it had been threatened all game.
58th: Better spell of possession from City, building from the back, instead of looking to go forward too early. Unfortunately, Whaley's cross from the right lands on the roof of the net.
56th: "
55th: "
54th: "
51st: Brentford take the lead, six minutes into the second half, a long throw in from the right by David Hunt to the penalty spot, met by the head of left-back Dickson, leaving Alnwick with no chance.
48th: Gill played the free-kick for a foul on Spillane, short down the line for Whaley. The former Preston man delivered a low cross into the near post, where Askou stuck out a big left foot, looking to divert it past Price, but the on-loan 'keeper saved well at his near post.
46th: Brentford kick off the second half, City are kicking towards their fans, from my right to my left. Instant free-kick for the Bees, Saunders with the delivery, which City clear and Holt looks to spring McDonald over the top, but the former Dartford striker is penalised for a foul, looked like the Brentford defender had as much of a hold of Cody's shirt as he did of the defenders. Still free-kick against McDonald given though, much to his disgust.
Half-Time: Brentford are back out, but no sign of the City players yet. A couple of minutes later the City players arrive out for the second half but we lose some of the lighting inside the stands - you can't have it all, can you?
Half-Time: "
Half-Time: " " - ankles50
Half-Time: Referee Scott calls an end to an absorbing, but goalless half here at Griffin Park. I heard talk of coffee an offer, so don't be alarmed if it goes quiet for a few minutes.
45+1: Drury twice wins the tackle inside the Brentford half but the ball falls kindly for the hosts, Tudur Jones with the next tackle, eventually breaks for Holt, who lines up a shot 25 yard from goal, that deflects off Osborne, loops up in the air but Price takes back-peddelling. From Price's kick, Brentford respond with a long range effort of their own, Weston whistling an effort past Alnwick's left-hand post.
45th: Fourth official has signalled a minimum of two minutes of injury time.
44th: Free-kick, right on the edge of the area, Osborne tripped Tudur Jones. A poor clearance was capitalised on by the Welshman, whose first touch took him away from the sub, who could only stick out a leg and bring him down. Wes Hoolahan's free-kick hits the wall and on the rebound concedes possession.
42nd: Audacious effort from Saunders, from just over 20 yards out, that dips and curls onto the roof of Alnwick's net, looked like it would easily clear the bar at first glance. The busy Brentford winger, looked like he had nowhere to go but managed to wrap his right foot round the ball and send an effort goalwards.
41st: City have the ball and Lewis Price in the back of the net, but unsurprisingly referee Graham Scott rules it out for charging by Askou - Nat Lofthouse would have been outraged at that decision!
39th: Nice, perhaps inadvertent link-up play on the edge of the hosts' area between the front two. Holt into McDonald, with his back to goal, he took a touch, which fell into the path of Holt to shoot from 20 yards but an easy gather low down for Lewis Price in the Brentford goal, on loan from Derby County - both 'keepers on loan.
37th: Brentford responds with a long throw of their own. Hunt with it, delivered to the centre of the goal, a mass of players await, Doherty climbs highest but is unbalanced in mid-air, the ball spoons to the back post, but Weston can only head over with Alnwick coming out to meet him.
36th: A now trademark long throw-in by Gill, from the right, flicked on by Tudur Jones at the near post but just out of the reach of McDonald, could have made a token attempt to throw himself, would have looked good if nothing else.
35th: Whaley again with the beating of his full-back, Ryan Dickson, on the right and this time delivers a better cross, which Phillips hacks behind.
31st: Askou penalised for a foul on Carl Cort, about 20 yards from goal, just right of goal. Saunders standing over it, but it is Wood who takes left-footed, straight into the base of the wall. Brentford do manage to cross but Askou heads behind at the far post and Tudur Jones heads the corner away at the near post.
30st: A change in the commentary box, Joe Ferrari is taking a well-earned rest and I, Gareth Payne, will take you through to half-time and a bit beyond.
28th - After lengthy treatment Bees skipper Alan Bennett limps off with what looks like a groin problem and is replaced by Karleigh Osborne.
26th: "With the new man in the stands everyone is playing for their places here. Come on guys, let us think you mean it!" - Lisa
22nd: A surging run from Grant 'The Horse' Holt through the middle eventually sees Hoolahan with the space to pick out the head of McDonald with a low cross from the right but his effort goes wide. In the next minute Whaley capitalises on a mistake in the Brentford box and cuts to the byeline before pinging in a low cross which Danny Foster desperately bundles behind. A good response from Norwich as the half picks up steam.
19th: Oooh, City have the best of the chances so far. A lovely overhead pass from Hoolahan sends Grant Holt raciing into the box and brilliantly beats his man. Facing Price in goal from an acute angle he elects instead to cut the ball back towards Cody McDonald - and a Bees defender is able to slide in a put the ball behind. From Hoolahan's corner Tudur Jones gets under his header and sends it over from four yards out. Norwich should maybe be in front.
17th: Wood forces Askou to clear the ball behind for the corner - Saunders' kick is headed clear well by Tudur Jones back helping out his defence.
15th: Sam Saunders is fouled 20 yards out by Doherty and steps up to take the free-kick himself but his effort deflects off the back of team-mate Sam Wood and up over the crossbar.
14th: A long throw by David Hunt is met by the head of centre-back Mark Phillips but the cries of 'Goal!' from the Brentford website's commentator prove optimistic as it flashes just wide. But good spell for the home side.
11th: Persistent play from former Canary Carl Cort earns a corner and from the kick he puts Gary Doherty under pressure, but the City skipper manages to beat him to the header and Alnwick leaps to claim the loose ball.
8th: Alnwick clears quickly and cleverly to pick out Whaley who lets fly from a similar distance but this time it's straight to Bees 'keeper Lewis Price.
7th: Left midfielder Sam Wood ends a neat Brentford move with a fierce 25-yard drive which takes a slight deflection before going behind for a corner. The flag-kick is comfortably collected by Alnwick.
6th: "
3rd: At the other end Myles Weston has a similar opportunity and goes closer, his effort dropping on to the roof of the net.
1st: Cody McDonald nearly gets us off to a sensational start as he latches on to a long ball inside the first minute before chipping over the bar from the edge of the area.
Matt Gill and Simon Whaley kick off for Norwich, attacking the goal to our right.
YELLOW ARMY - The away end at Griffin Park tonight
Team News from Griffin Park, where caretaker manager Ian Butterworth makes one change to the starting line-up with Owain Tudur Jones replacing Tom Adeyemi. Brentford start with former City striker Carl Cort in attack.
Both sides are warming up in the bright evening sunshine, with the TV and newspaper cameras pitchside all trained on the Directors' Box where City Chief Executive David McNally is engrossed in conversation with newly-appointed manager Paul Lambert - and for a moment there yours truly (Joe Ferrari) as we just spotted a TV reporter sidling up to Paul Lambert to make a 'bypassing the press office' interview request. In the dash to head him off at the pass I inadvertantly sent our Brentford media team counterparts' headphones crashing to the floor...oops.
City fans are housed in the stand to our left, which is a sell-out with about 1,800 Norwich fans expected at Griffin Park this evening. The Canary faithful are in excellent voice as they pack out the two-tier visitors' end.
"Right Here, Right Now" by Fatboy Slim is the build-up music of choice as a reasonable crowd begins to make more noise. The teams emerge from the corner to our left and line-up for the ritual pre-match handshake.
CITY: Alnwick, Drury, Gill (Hughes 75), Tudur Jones, Holt, Whaley (Martin 72), Doherty (c), Hoolahan, Spillane (Otsemobor 84), McDonald, Askou. Subs not used: Theoklitos (GK), Nelson, Lappin, Maric.
Brentford: Price, O'Connor, Dickson, Phillips, Bennett (Osborne 28), Saunders (Taylor 87), Cort, Weston (Kabba 76), Hunt, Foster, Wood. Subs not used: Bull (GK), Bean, Franks, Williams.
