TALISMANIC skipper Grant Holt returned to the City starting line-up with two goals and an assist as the Canaries survived the shock of going behind to record a 4-1 Carling Cup First Round win over Gillingham.
With Chris Martin also grabbing two goals it was an energetic and positive Norwich response to the disappointment of losing at home to Watford last Friday.
In front of a Carrow Road crowd of 13,068 City were momentarily rocked back on their heels as Chris Palmer fired the League Two side ahead in the 12th minute.
But a goal each for Holt and Martin before the break and the same again from the on-song Canary strikeforce in the second half propelled Lambert's side into Wednesday night's second round draw (10.15pm, live on Sky Sports News).
After the match the Canary boss told First News: "The main thing was to win, which we did, and I'm delighted to get into the next round."
On Holt's performance he commented: "You can see how important he is. As I've said before he's not played much football or trained that much recently. I'm delighted with his contribution and two goals will do his confidence the world of good, as will Chris's goals for him.
"As I said all last year Chris is a terrific finisher and Grant is a great target man. Oli Johnson gave the crowd a lift when he came on and when Simeon (Jackson) gets off the mark we'll have a decent strikeforce.
"It's never easy with the expectancy on us but that's what you want and the crowd were great again on a Tuesday night - and they'll get behind us again at Scunthorpe on Saturday I'm sure."
City started with a strong line-up with only three changes from the team which took on Watford in the npower Championship curtain-raiser.
In came skipper Grant Holt for his first competitive start since facing tonight's opponents in League One last April, with Korey Smith also returning from injury and coming in for Andrew Crofts who has been called up for Wales' friendly against Luxembourg tomorrow night.
Meanwhile on the left-hand side of midfield the experienced figure of Simon Lappin replaced summer signing Andrew Surman.
In the fifth minute David Fox was harshly booked by referee Andy D'Urso for taking a City free-kick too quickly but kept his concentration to fire in the re-taken kick against the post from 25 yards.
But once again City found themselves trailing at Carrow Road as Chris Palmer put the League Two visitors in front on 12 minutes. It came when Michael Nelson blocked Barcham and the ball bobbled out invitingly for Palmer to slot home a low shot into the far corner of the net from the edge of the area.
In the 24th minute the Gills should have doubled their advantage but were denied by the woodwork, as Akinfenwa's header from Spiller's excellent free-kick crashed against the underside of the bar.
Two minutes later though and City restored smiles to the faces of the home crowd as they equalised with a beautifully-worked goal for Chris Martin.
It was supplied for him by his strike partner Holt, who held off his man well before scooping a sublimely-weighted lofted pass into Martin's path. The young striker brought it under control neatly before calmly shooting home past the helpless Julian.
Hoolahan was inches away from grabbing the lead in the next Norwich attack, blazing across goal and inches wide of the far post from Fox's corner.
But there was no denying a resurgent City and they powered into the lead in the 31st minute, when Russell Martin's whipped-in cross from the right was met by a bullet header from Holt.
Now City were looking dangerous and Chris Martin was unlucky not to add to the Canaries' tally and his own as he curled a 22-yard free-kick against the bar in the 39th minute.
The game was not won yet though and as play switched to the other end Payne twisted and turned before forcing a great diving parry from John Ruddy. The ball fell to Akinfenwa, but with the goal at his mercy he headed wide from six yards.
After an entertaining first half City emerged in positive mood after the break with Hoolahan enjoying an increasing amount of possession in the final third.
And he was heavily involved as Norwich swept into a 3-1 lead in the 55th minute, teeing up Smith for a first-time cross from the right which Holt volleyed home imperiously with the side of his boot for his second of the game.
In the 63rd minute Holt received a standing ovation as he left the pitch to be replaced by Oli Johnson.
Three minutes later Ruddy made another smart save, diving to his right to beat away Luke Rooney's snapshot from 16 yards.
Lambert made City's second change in the 69th minute as Matt Gill came on for David Fox in midfield.
Chris Martin hit his second excellent free-kick of the match in the 78th minute, following up his effort which crashed against the bar in the first half with a sweetly-struck curling shot which Julian acrobatically palmed away.
Norwich's third and final substitution came in the 79th minute as Anthony McNamee was brought on for Hoolahan.
Chris Martin was sent crashing to the turf In the 85th minute as he threatened to break free of the back line, a foul which earned Sinclair the game's second yellow card. McNamee took the resulting free-kick but his effort drifted a foot over the bar.
But Martin was not to be denied and wrapped up the win as he capitalised on injury-time hesitancy from Josh Gowling in the Gills defence to round Julian and slip the ball home from a tight angle.
Norwich City: Ruddy,R Martin, Drury, Nelson, Holt (C) (Johnson 64), Hoolahan (McNamee 79), Fox (Gill 69), C Martin, Smith, Lappin, Ward. Subs not used: Rudd, Hughes, Francomb, Askou.
Gillingham: Julian, Nutter, Bentley (C), Barcham, Palmer, Rooney (S Payne 71), Gowling, Spiller, Akinfenwa (White 83), J Payne (Maher 42), Sinclair. Subs not used: Cronin, Jackman, Essam.
Attendance: 13,068
Referee: Mr A. D'Urso
FULL TIME: Doubles from Chris Martin and Grant Holt see the Canaries come from a goal behind to claim their place in the second round of the Carling Cup, claiming a comfortable 4-1 victory over League Two Gillingham at Carrow Road.
90+2 - GOAL: Time for a fourth as Chris Martin doubles his tally for the night as he latches on to Oli Johnson's flick on, rounds the keeper and taps home with ease to send the Canaries into the second round of the Carling Cup.
Three minutes of added time signalled by the fourth official with City looking comfortable.
84th - City almost in for a fourth as Martin chases a long through ball from the back only to be brought down by Tony Sinclair outside the area. The Gills right back gets a booking for his troubles.
83rd - Gillingham make their final sub of the match as Andy White replaces Akinfenwa.
79th - City make their final substitution as Anthony McNamee replaces Wes Hoolahan.
78th - Wes Hoolahan is fouled twenty five yards from goal. Chris Martin tries his luck again from the free-kick and almost scores with his effort but for a good save from Julian.
77th - City continue to control the game with substitute Oli Johnson looking lively up front.
71st - The Gills respond with a sub of their own, Stefan Payne comes on for Luke Rooney.
69th - Mathew Gill replaces David Fox in the midfield.
66th - Luke Rooney takes a shot inside the area for the Gills, which is saved well by Ruddy to his right.
Tonight's attendance - 13,068
64th - No hat-trick for Holt but a huge ovation as Oli Johnson replaces him in the attack.
62nd - Lovely ball from Fox picks out Martin who charges into the box, only to be guided out by the Gillingham defence.
58th - Two goals and one assist for Holt cap a quite brilliant first start of the 2010-11 season. He will now be looking for his hat-trick.
55th - GOAL: City get a third as Grant Holt nets his second of the game. In another superbly worked goal from the Canaries, Wes picks out Korey Smith on the right flank whose low cross picks out Holt at the near post. Shrugging off his marker, Holt steers the ball home superbly to get his second of the night and double City's lead.
53rd - The Canaries are probing for a third here as Wes, Holt and Drury combine well to give the left back the chance to shoot, but his effort is blocked by the recovering Gills defence.
50th - City look comfortable in containing the threat of Gillingham in the opening stages of the second half.
The teams return for the second half with no changes for either side and the second half gets underway.
HALF TIME: The Canaries go into the break with the lead thanks to goals from Chris Martin and a superbly crafted Grant Holt effort, having previously been behind to an early Chris Palmer strike for the Gills.
Two minutes of injury time signalled by Andy D'Urso.
45th - Fox threads a great ball through for Chris Martin to chase, but the move is promptly snuffed out by Gills stopper Julian.
42nd - Jack Payne gets injured as a result of the Gills last attack and is replaced by Kevin Maher.
40th - Wes gives the ball away on the edge of the penalty area allowing Jack Payne to shoot, producing a superb save from John Ruddy. The ball drops to Akinfenwa however, but with the goal at his mercy the solid striker can only head wide.
39th - Simon Lappin is brought down twenty yards out by Luke Rooney. Chris Martin wins the battle to take the free kick and curls the ball over the wall only to be denied by the crossbar.
36th - Looking threatening going forward Simon Lappin picks out Chris Martin who just heads over the bar.
32nd - GOAL: CIty take the lead through Grant Holt. A superb flowing move sends City into the lead as Korey Smith feeds Russell Martin down the right flank, who produces a tempting cross into area. The lurking Grant Holt evades his marker to meet the ball and head City in front.
29th - A David Fox corner eludes everyone in the box as it falls to Wes Hoolahan at the far post. As the Gills players fail to close him down, Wes shoots just wide.
26th - GOAL: City equalise! A beautifully worked goal from the Canaries as Grant Holt flicks a ball over the Gillingham defence for Chris Martin to run on to. Martin shrugs off his marker to control and finish well past keeper Julian to draw City level.
24th - Gillingham almost double their lead as Danny Spiller hits a superb free-kick in from the right, met by Adebayo Akinfenwa in the box who hits the underside of the bar with his headed effort before the Canaries clear their lines.
20th - Wes Hoolahan does well to shrug off his marker and pick out Russell Martin on the right of the box, Martin looks to pick out Holt only to see his cross blocked.
15th - City come to terms with being a goal behind and look to pick out Grant Holt up front, who flicks on well to Chris Martin only to be caught offside.
12th GOAL: Gillingham take the lead against the run of play. Michael Nelson loses his footing inside the penalty area as the Gills push forward through Andy Barcham, and the ball squirts out kindly for Chris Palmer to step up and fire the Gills into the lead.
9th - Good possession football by City who are breaking up the play in midfield well so far, keeping up the pressure on the Gills.
5th - Wes Hoolahan is fouled twenty yards out. David Fox's early attempt at a quick free-kick is brought back by referee Andy D'Urso who books Fox as a result. Fox's second attempt curls round the wall beating Alan Julian in the Gills goal, only to be denied by the near post.
2nd - Some early possession for City sees Drury cross from the left evading everyone to give Chris Martin the chance to shoot, but he could only hit it high into the Norwich & Peterborough stand.
The game is underway.
Team News:
Paul Lambert has made three changes to his starting line-up to face Gillingham, in the Canaries first round Carling Cup tie at Carrow Road.
Captain Grant Holt has been brought in to lead City's attack and Korey Smith has also returned from an ankle knock to replace Andrew Crofts who is on international duty with Wales.
Simon Lappin will also make his first appearance of the season, having been brought in to replace Andrew Surman in the Canaries starting eleven.
Meanwhile Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler has made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Cheltenham Town in their opening League Two fixture, with Adebayo Akinfenwa and Luke Rooney brought into the Gills starting eleven.
