CITY matched their Premiership opponents well for spells of this Carling Cup Second Round clash - but they were punished for moments of defensive frailty as the Black Cats progressed to the next round.
Goals from Reid (2), Tainio and an own goal from Tudur Jones sent Sunderland through, with Wes Hoolahan netting a consolation for the Canaries in the second half.
There was time for some drama at the end of the game as Michael Spillane nudged Frazier Campbell and sent him sliding into the on-rushing Norwich 'keeper Ben Alnwick for a sickening collision.
Referee Anthony Taylor judged the offence worthy of a straight red card and after a lengthy delay Campbell left the field nursing an injured arm while Alnwick also departed with a facial injury.
As the Canaries had already used all of their allocated subs the fans then enjoyed what we all hope will be a rare appearance between the sticks for striker Cody McDonald for the remaining minutes of the match.
After the game City boss Paul Lambert told First News: "There were some positives and there were some negatives. I thought we started the game really well and we had a couple of chances to get ahead but we didn't take them, then you make an error at the back and you get punished if you're playing that calibre of opposition.
"The pleasing thing was that they never wilted when it would have maybe been easy to wilt at 3-0 down but they got a goal back which gave us a bit of a lift. Ok the own goal then kills the game, but we showed some character second half."
On the late sending off of Michael Spillane he commented: "The game's gone by then but it's one of those where the referee has played it by the letter of the law. To be fair I haven't seen the video yet so I haven't seen how much contact was made."
City's 'keeper Ben Alnwick suffered a cut to the face in the collision with Sunderland's Frazier Campbell which followed that incident and Lambert confirmed he will be assessed to see how he is in the build-up to Saturday's Coca-Cola League One clash away to Hartlepool.
After an even start to the game Sunderland took the lead in the 26th minute when Kenwyne Jones shrugged off the challenge of Gary Doherty before squaring for Teemu Tainio to fire home.
Andy Reid made it 2-0 four minutes later, Jones again the supplier following an error in midfield from City's Simon Whaley. Reid still had work to do when he picked up the ball but netted with a lovely chip over Alnwick into the far corner.
And the Sunderland attack showed Premiership pace and quality to cut through the City defence for a third in the 35th minute, Campbell picking up the ball from Leadbitter before laying a well-weighted pass into the path of Reid for him to blast home his second of the game.
The Canaries had chances of their own, with Simon lappin forcing a superb fingertip save from Craig Gordon with a long-range effort and the £9m Sunderland 'keeper called into action again, keeping out a Tudur Jones half-volley with his boot.
After the break City started well and after a good spell of pressure they reduced the arrears on 63 minutes when Jon Otsemobor's deep cross was headed against the post by sub Cody McDonald and Wes Hoolahan slammed home the rebound from close range.
But just four minutes later Sunderland scored a fortunate fourth to restore their three-goal comfort zone, Reid's corner skimming the head of Doherty before the ball ballooned up off the shins of Tudur Jones and past the helpless Alnwick.
Full-Time: Referee Anthony Taylor brings an end to the five minutes of injury time and City's Carling Cup endeavours this season. A frantic last ten minutes at Carrow Road saw City end with nine men after the sending off of Michael Spillane and the injury to goalkeeper Ben Alnwick, with City having already used all three substitutes. Simon Lappin is awarded the Anglian man of the match. The Canaries travel to Hartlepool on Saturday, before returning to Carrow Road for two matches, Tuesday against Brentford in the JPT and then Walsall arrive the following Saturday.
90+3: "
90+2: Andy Reid is booked for a cynical foul on Hoolahan.
90+1: A let-off for City as first McCartney's half-volley at the far post goes across the face of goal and then sub Daryl Murphy following up beyond the other far post heads wide.
90th: Two huge cheers for McDonald as he pulls off two routine catches.
89th: "
87th: Reid had three bites at the hat-trick cherry and couldn't take any. He struck the free-kick into the wall, his rebound effort was blocked and then it came to Carlos Edwards who thundered a long-range effort off the bar and the Irishman's follow-up overhead kick went over the bar. Huge goal kick by McDonald.
83rd: The stretch is being called for, Frazier Campbell appears to be in some discomfort. Michael Spillane has been sent off and Ben Alnwick is being treated for a facial injury. Let's clear things up for you. A ball was slipped in behind for Campbell, Spillane gave the striker a nudge in the back and collided with Alnwick on the ground as the 'keeper came sliding out to challenge. City down to nine men with the sending off of Spillane and Alnwick has gone down the tunnel for treatment to a facial injury, looked like his nose. Cody McDonald has donned the 'keepers shirt (Declan Rudd's) and gloves. Campbell has left the field nursing his left shoulder, thankfully without the need for a stretcher and Frenchman Steed Malbranque has replaced him. So City down to nine for the remaining minutes.
80th: A slip by Tudur Jones gives the Black Cats possession in the City half, a simply ball inside allows Leadbitter time and space to size up a shot, that drifts harmlessly wide of Alnwick's left-hand post.
79th: After City deal with a couple of Sunderland set-pieces, Daley has an effort from just outside the area, wide on the left, which is always rising and clears Gordon's bar.
75th: Here comes Korey Smith taking the place of Tom Adeyemi in the heart of the City midfield.
74th: David Healy replaces Teemu Tainio, while Smith waits for City as we defend a Reid corner.
72nd: Back to that attendance, 12,345. Korey Smith is being prepared for City and David Healy is being readied for the visitors.
70th: "
67th: So unfortunate for City and Owain Tudur Jones. Reid's inswinging corner from the right, clipped the head of Doherty and then flicked off Tudur Jones' leg and looped into the top corner.
65th: Chris Martin, the other sub almost makes an instant impact of his own. Lappin cross from the left is just met at the back post by Martin but he can only guide to wide.
63rd: Otsemobor's cross from the right was met by Cody McDonald, his header looked destined for the far corner but it came back off the post and Hoolahan had the presence of mind to follow it in and tap in, definitely onside.
61st: Tonight's attendance is announced as a numerical thing to behold but first City have one back through Wes Hoolahan.
60th: City make a double substitution, Chris Martin replaces Grant Holt and Cody McDonald comes on for Simon Whaley. Looks like Daley has come out to the right wing.
57th: Grant Holt unleashes a firecracker of a shot which cannons down off Da Silva's arm and bounces just over Gordon's crossbar. In the next attack Holt has another go, this time his attempt at a chip at full stretch sails wide.
52nd: A good spell of City pressure sees the ball worked out wide for Otsemobor to fire in three crosses in quick succession - all are dealt with by the Sunderland rearguard but encouraging composure from the Canaries there.
50th: Lappin is adjudged to have fouled Jordon Henderson on the edge of the box - but Leadbitter hits the free-kick straight at the Norwich wall.
48th: Doherty steps in to nick the ball away from Read as he looked to turn and shoot home for his hat-trick. That's better from the experienced Norwich centre-back.
46th: Sunderland kick us off.
Half-Time: The players are back out for the second half. Sunderland to make a change at the start of the half, Irish striker Daryl Murphy replacing Kenwyne Jones.
Half-time: There goes the half-time whistle - a strange half in some ways as City have for large parts of it given a good account of themselves. However the fragility of the Norwich defence has been an issue since we kicked off against Colchester and it was exposed again, ruthlessly, on three occasions in that first period by a Premiership strikeforce.
45th: There will be one minute of added time.
44th: Luke Daley does well to force a corner - Hoolahan's kick is wayward but eventually a spell of City pressure ends with a thunderous half-volley from Tudur Jones from the edge of the area which Gordon just saves with an out-stretched boot.
42nd: A superb ball from Simon lappin picks out Grant Holt in a wide position on the right and he cuts in before hammering a shot well over the bar from 25 yards. Luke Daley had sprinted into a good position in the box but Holt was always going to have a dig there.
38th: "Totally unfair scoreline but yes we do need a new centre-back to play alongside Askou!" - IMT
36th: It's 3-0 to Sunderland as Leadbitter finds Campbell and he plays a lovely cross-field ball across the edge of the area and into the path of Andy Reid, who slams home his second of the night first-time from ten yards.
34th: A deep free-kick into the box falls to Micky Spillane who blasts a first-time volley which Gordon saves with his legs - but the effort wouldn't have counted as it was ruled out for offside.
32nd:Simon Whaley was the culprit for that second goal, cutting in from the right to the centre of the park and then passing straight to a Sunderland player. Frustrating as Simon had an ok start to the match. City need to regain shape and composure to stay in contention.
30th: Andy Reid doubles the visitors' lead with a sublime chip. City guilty of giving away possession cheaply in centre midfield. The Black Cats broke, Jones fed Reid on the left and he had a clear run at goal and lifted it over Alnwick.
26th: Teemu Tainio gives Sunderland the lead at Carrow Road. Jones beat Doherty down the right channel, looked up, picked out the oncoming Tainio who swept his shot beyond Alnwick.
23rd: "W
22nd: Good cross from the left by McCartney after a nice back-heel by Andy Reid on the byline - the left-back's cross finds the head of Kenwyne Jones but his header drifts wide of Alnwick's right-hand post.
20th: Free-kick to City, just over 20 yards out, fairly central, Lappin and Tudur Jones over it. The Scotsman takes it ahead of the Welshman but curls it left-footed over Gordon's bar.
19th: "
18th: Simon Lappin takes aim from distance, full on 35 yards, left-footed, takes a nick of Nosworthy's head and Gordon tips over his bar.
17th: "
16th: Whaley through one-on-one with Gordon but the £9 million man comes up trumps with good save to his left.
14th: Great passage of play unfortunately in the City box, cross from the right, met with a stunning overhead kick by Frazier Campbell (yes it is z before i) and an amazing save by Ben Alnwick to tip the former Manchester United striker's effort onto the bar.
13th: "
12th: Good defending from Doherty eases Jones out, when it looked like he would be one-on-one with Alnwick. Then Spillane hacks a cross over his own bar for a corner. Said corner is too deep and clears everyone.
11th: Corner swung in to the near post by Sunderland and Paulo Da Silva meets it but sees his header go wide, think Holt was his marker but he was blocked off and stumbled tracking him.
8th: "
6th: Loud shouts for a penalty from the crowd but not from any of the City players. Whaley fed Daley inside the area with a nicely weighted pass, but the youngster couldn't quite take the ball in his stride and a nice healthy Premiership nudge from Nyron Nosworthy to shepherd him out.
2nd: As expected Simon Lappin in at left-back for Adam Drury, who picked up a knock at the weekend, and Rhoys Wiggins' is still recovering from the knee injury he was carrying when he signed. Whaley and Hoolahan on the flanks with Adeyemi and Tudur Jones in the centre of the park. Luke Daley partners Grant Holt in attack, in a straight 4-4-2.
1st: City on the attack in the first minute, Daley nipping in on the right, lays it off for Otsemobor, but Hoolahan can't reach the cross at the back stick.
We're underway at Carrow Road.
19.46: Photos being taken with the mascots and the er...mascots. City enter a pre-match huddle. Cameras pan on to captain Grant Holt.
19.42: The players emerge from the tunnel and the Sky cameras get in position to capture the handshakes.
19.39: "Hi I'm watching the match in full HD on the new Sky box :-) Sunderland are making 9 changes from there game on Saturday this makes me feel it's not a full strength side they are putting out. nice to see Doc back in the side now i'm going for a 2-1 win." - Richard - Nine changes would suggest not a full strength side but the replacements aren't bad, Paraguayian international captain Paulo Da Silva, Frazier Campbell, formerly of Manchester United, he who starred in Hull's promotion season. Teemu Tainio and Andy Reid, both former Spurs midfielders and Craig Gordon - Scottish international goalkeeper.
Team News from Carrow Road - Paul Lambert makes six changes from the side that beat Wycombe Wanderers 5-2, two days ago. Gary Doherty returns in place of Jens Berthel Askou at centre-back. Four changes in midfield - Owain Tudur Jones, Tom Adeyemi, Wes Hoolahan and Simon Whaley start and Luke Daley makes his first City start. We'll wait to see whether Daley partners captain Grant Holt in attack or Lambert goes with a 4-5-1. Sunderland make nine changes, only George McCartney and Kenwyne Jones retain their places from their weekend win over Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light. Ben Alnwick starts in goal for City against his former side.
CITY: Alnwick, Otsemobor, Tudur Jones, Holt (c) (Martin 60), Whaley (McDonald 60), Doherty, Hoolahan, Spillane, Adeyemi (Smith 75), Lappin, Daley. Subs not used: Rudd (GK), Nelson, Hughes, McVeigh.
Sunderland: Gordon, McCartney (c), Tainio (Healy 74), Nosworthy, Edwards, Campbell (Malbranque 86), Henderson, Jones (Murphy 46), Leadbitter, Reid, Da Silva. Subs not used: Carson (GK), Bardsley, Ferdinand, O'Donovan.
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