A HAT-TRICK from Mame Biram Diouf sent the Canaries out of the Carling Cup at the second round stage as they lost 3-1 to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
With a much changed side, the Canaries matched their Premier League opponents until Diouf scored his first from close range following a Morten Gamst Pedersen long throw - a lead they took into the break.
City remained in with a chance of taking something from the game until Diouf added his second less than 20 minutes from time, as he tapped home after an initial Declan Rudd save from Pedersen from close range. It did not take long for Diouf to claim his hat-trick however as he nodded home his third just five minutes later.
The Canaries never gave up and scored their fifth last-minute goal on the trot as Jens Berthel Askou headed home from a David Fox corner in added time, but it would only be a consolation for City.
On the Canaries' Carling Cup exit, manager Paul Lambert said: "We can still take a lot from that performance. The players that came in gave a good performance and the main thing is that we kept going.
"We forced their keeper to make a few decent saves but the ones we conceded were poor but they are a threat because of the size of them. As a manager you want the players who come in to give you a problem and the ones that came in did really well.
"We knew Blackburn were a threat from their long throws and set pieces and I thought we were in the game until they scored the first, but you can't fault our lads for effort."
Lambert made seven changes to the side that beat Swansea City at the weekend as he gave first starts of the season to Declan Rudd, Jens Berthel Askou, Matt Gill and George Francomb at Ewood Park.
HIs opposite number took a similar approach to his line-up with eight changes to the side that lost to Birmingham City in the Premier League on Saturday, but the much changed Canaries started well as they looked for an opening from the off through youngster George Francomb.
Having featured for City's Academy side against Everton on Saturday, Francomb provided the first test to the Rovers' back line as he whipped in a cross towards Grant Holt, only to just clear the striker at full stretch.
The Canaries' Premiership opponents offered little in the way of an attacking presence until ten minutes into the game, when they pushed forward for an opener.
Jens Berthel Askou first had to intercept a good cross from Amine Linganzi from the right before scrambling to block a Brett Emerton shot from a knock down from Mame Biram Diouf.
Rovers continued to pressure as Emerton tried his luck, but he was unable to beat City's England Under-19 international Declan Rudd in goal. However, Rudd was soon given a stern test by Morten Gamst Pedersen, whose stinging shot was palmed away for a corner by the Canaries' stopper.
City responded with an attack of their own, as Grant Holt connected with a free-kick from Simon Lappin with his head, only to see it saved well by Bunn in goal. But despite posing a threat going forward the Canaries were then undone by Rovers from a Pedersen long throw.
The Norwegian International's latest attempt to unsettle City's backline paid off as the ball was flicked on at the near post, leaving Diouf the easiest of chances to head home his first goal in a Blackburn shirt.
City were unable to provide an instant response, and it was Blackburn who almost doubled their lead just minutes later - Diouf denied by some last-ditch defending from the Canaries.
Controlling possession, Rovers gave little chance for City to bring a leveller, but the Canaries finished the first half the stronger as Simeon Jackson was just thwarted by Mark Bunn as he cut out a Grant Holt cross from the right.
City's pacy striker was denied again just before the break, as Jackson did well to make space and hit a superb left-footed effort towards goal only for Bunn to tip his effort wide of the near post.
The first half came to a close soon after with the Canaries behind but by no means out of it against their Premiership opponents at Ewood Park.
Half time: Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Norwich City
The second half started with goal opportunities at a premium. However, the first chance came for the Canaries, Holt unleashing a left-footed effort from 20 yards which was spilled but then collected by Bunn with no one there to tap home for City.
Rovers did little to add to their tally until the hour-mark as Chris Samba met a Pedersen cross at the near post, but despite beating his marker, the towering defender could only send his headed effort over the crossbar.
But despite looking the most likely in possession, the Canaries almost pegged Rovers back as Holt met a Fox corner at the near post, steering it towards the top corner of the net only to be denied by the outstretched Bunn in the Blackburn goal.
Holt and Hoolahan were replaced by Anthony McNamee and Oli Johnson to provide a different test to the Rovers back four and look to get City back on level terms.
Stephen Hughes was also brought on soon after in place of Russell Martin, but the wholesale changes did little to help City's cause as Blakcburn almost doubled their lead as Langanzi struck the upright with his first time effort from 20 yards.
City's reprieve lasted just seconds as Blackburn again pushed forward through Pedersen's corner, which fell to Diouf at the far post but he could only hit the crossbar from five yards out when it looked easier to score.
But now gaining momentum, Rovers and Diouf eventually secured their second of the night just three minutes later as Diouf scrambled the ball over the line after an initial save by Declan Rudd at close range from Pedersen, tapping home the rebound despite the best efforts of Askou on the line.
The Senegalese striker was soon securing his hat-trick as he once again combined with Pedersen just seven minutes from time. In acres of space on the left flank, Pedersen was allowed time and space to pick out Diouf at the far post, who nodded home past Rudd, to ultimately secure the victory for Sam Allardyce's side.
Despite being effectively out of the tie, City battled on and went in search of a consolation, and it almost came just a minute from time as Stephen Hughes was denied at close range by a superb Mark Bunn save to his right.
City would get that consolation from the resultant corner though, as Jens Berthel Askou rose above his marker to head home and give the Canaries at least a goal to take back to Carrow Road.
Full time: Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Norwich City.
FINAL SCORE: Blackburn Rovers 3 Norwich City 1
90th - Goal, City pull one back thanks to Jens Berthel Askou who heads home a corner from Fox.
88th - Bunn does well to stop a rasping shot from Hughes which is turned away for a corner.
86th - Another good ball into the Rovers box from Francomb almost finds its way to Oli Johnson as City look to find a way through to goal.
83rd - Goal, 3-0 to Rovers and a hat'-trick for Diouf. A great cross from the left by Pedersen is met by Diouf who powerfully headed past Rudd.
80th - A final change from the home side as Martin Olsson replaces Gael Givet.
78th- Goal, 2-0 to Blackburn as Diouf get his second goal of the game. After a scramble Diouf's effort is awarded by an assistant after City looked to have hacked the ball off the line.
74th - Blackburn pile forward in search of a second goal and hit the post twice in the space of 60 seconds. Firstly Linganzi sees his shot come back off the post before Diouf sends a header crashing on to the woodwork.
71st - Lambert makes is final chamge of the evening with Stephen Hughes replacing Russell Martin. The change sees Lappin take-up Martin's left-back berth while Hughes joines a new-look midfield of Gill, Hughes, Fox and McNamee.
66th - Two changes for City as on come Anthony McNamee and Oli Johnson to replace Hoolahan and Holt.
65th - Corner for City after Francomb's floated cross headed behind. Holt mets Fox's ball into the box the near post with a powerful header that Bunn did well to stop.
61st - Two changes for the hosts, on come Steven Nzonzi and Phil Jones for Chris Samba and Vince Grella.
60th - Rovers win the first corner of the second half after Russell Martin blocks Pederson's cross. Samba meets the corner with a firm header that sails over the crossbar.
52nd - A long ball up field from Rovers sees Diouf jump with Rudd for the ball, although the Rovers man won the ball his header fell wide of the empty goal.
51st - Holt tests Bunn with a long-range effort that the home 'keeper spills but gathers at the second time of asking.
50th - The crowd at Ewood Park tonight has been confirmed as being 9,235. The number of Norwich fans has not been confirmed but looks like around the 500-mark.
49th - In almost a carbon copy of their goal Rovers send a long throw into the City box which is again flicked on before Elliott Ward clears the danger.
46th - Rovers get the second half underway. There have been no team changes during the half-time break.
Half-time: Blackburn Rovers 1 Norwich City 0
45th - On the stroke of half-time Jackson has a snap shot well saved by Bunn.
43rd - City break forward well with Fox picking out Holt in a wide right position but his coss for Jackson is caught by Bunn.
39th - Norwich force their first corner of the game after Lappin's cross was headed over by Samba but no-one is able to make contact with Fox's flag kick.
36th - Rovers move the ball forward swifty and look to release Junior Hoilett but City are saved by an assistant's flag for offside.
33rd - The goal has woken the small home crowd as Rovers continue to retain the ball for long periods of play.
31st - City are grateful to some last-ditch defending on the edge of their aera to prevent Diouf from making it 2-0.
27th goal - The hosts continue to to push forward and from a deep throw the ball is flicked on to Mame Biram Diouf who heads past Rudd to open the scoring.
20th - Simon Lappin sends in a free kick from the right which Holt manages to get to but the effort is gathered by Mark Bunn in the Rovers goal.
18th Rudd makes a smart save low to his right to deny Morten Gamst Pedersen.
16th - Norwich break forward as Holt and Hoolahan combine well to tee- up Fox but his shot from outside the area flies high over the Rovers goal.
13th - Emerton is in the thick of the action for Rovers and sends a neat cross into the back post but the ball has just too much pace on it and runs out for a goal kick.
9th - Rovers push forward and win two quick corners before Bret Emerton blasts a shot well wide of Declan Rudd's near post.
6th - Rovers force the first corner but the ball is cleared at the near post by the City defence.
4th - A good City move involving Russell Martin, Wes Hoolahan and Matt Gill sees the ball worked out to the right where George Francomb crosses to the back post but the ball just escapes the on-rushing Grant Holt.
1st - City kick-off attacking the Blackburn End. The City fans are sat in the Darwen End.
CITY boss Paul Lambert has made seven changes to the side that started Saturday's Championship match with Swansea City for this evening's Carling Cup tie with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park (8pm).
Tonight's sees first starts of the season for goalkeeper Declan Rudd, defenders Jens Berthel Askou and George Francomb, midfielder Matt Gill and summer-signing Simeon Jackson.
Just like Lambert, home manager Sam Allardyce has made changes to his line-up with eight new faces coming in to the Rovers team that lost 2-1 away to Birmingham City at the weekend.
CITY: Rudd, R. Martin (Hughes 71), Gill, Holt (Johnson 66), Jackson, Hoolahan (McNamee 66), Fox, Lappin, Ward, Francomb, Askou subs: Ruddy (GK) Surman, C. Martin, Smith.
ROVERS: Bunn, Jacobsen, Samba (Nzonzi 61), Givet (Olsson 80), Emerton, Grella (Jones 61), Pedersen, Linganzi, Hoilett, Chimbonda, M. Diouf subs: Fielding (GK), E. Diouf, Judge, Morris
REFEREE: Mr J Moss
