A SPIRITED second half was not enough for the Canaries as they ended-up on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline against West Ham at Carrow Road in their first home pre-season friendly.
Despite some early heroics by David Marshall in the City goal, the Hammers were good value for their 2-0 lead at the break, which came courtesy of strikes by Jonathan Spector and returning Canary Dean Ashton.
After the interval the Canaries were a different proposition, with substitute Chris Brown halving the arrears on 57 minutes with a fine glancing header.
Unfortunately the rally came too late for City, who were unable to breach Robert Green's defences again on his return to Carrow Road.
All the same, there were encouraging signs for the 22,751 crowd, with City's final warm-up for the new season taking place this Friday against Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem.
City lined-up for their first home friendly of the summer in front of a large Carrow Road crowd.
Recent signing Darel Russell was handed his home 'debut' after returning to the club where he began his career, with fellow summer signings Jon Otsemobor, Jamie Cureton and David Strihavka also given the chance to impress.
One glaring omission from the squad was midfielder Youssef Safri, who was also conspicuous by his absence from the team photo the previous day.
Jason Shackell was handed the captain's armband - perhaps a sign of things to come for the season ahead.
Former Canaries Dean Ashton, Robert Green and Craig Bellamy started for the visitors, and it was the Hammers out of the blocks quickest - only to be foiled by a hat-trick of world class saves by Marshall inside the first 10 minutes.
The first arrived in the sixth minute, the former Celtic man getting down low to his left to claw away a header from Bobby Zamora after a corner from the right by Luis Boa Morte.
The second came less than two minutes later, this time a point blank parry from Lee Bowyer after being found by Zamora on the left.
And the set was complete on 10 minutes, this time stretching out a leg to block a goalbound shot from Zamora after being put in the clear by the impressive Boa Morte.
City had yet to force a worthwhile save from returning 'keeper Green, although Cureton and Fotheringham had twice threatened to get behind the Hammers' defence as the passed the 20 minute mark.
The latter in particular was enjoying a bright game, and was behind the majority of City's moves.
But on 27 minutes West Ham went ahead through the unlikely figure of Jonathan Spector. The move developed down the right, with the American international put in the clear and this time slotting beyond the grasp of Marshall.
City looked to hit back on the half hour mark, with Hughes lashing a half-volley from 25 yards straight at Green, although the 'keeper needed two attempts to gather.
On 34 minutes the Hammers should really have doubled their advantage, but made an awful mess of a great opening. Ashton's pass from deep helped Zamora to beat the offside trap, with the former Spurs' star scampering down the right and into the box.
With the City defence backtracking desperately, Zamora looked up and found Boa Morte unmarked on the penalty spot, but after taking one touch too many, he placed a side-footed effort wide of Marshall's right post.
Three minutes later and Norwich's best move of the half finished with Chadwick bending a shot straight at Green from the edge of the box as City looked to get back into the game.
On 42 minutes and West Ham wasted yet another chance - and this time Ashton was the culprit, much to the Barclay's delight.
Another ball behind the City defence caught Norwich napping, with Boa Morte touching the ball past the on-rushing Marshall.
His momentum took him wide, and he pulled the ball back to Ashton, who screwed his shot wide.
But with the home side's mocking still ringing in his ears, Ashton silenced them as he hit the net for West Ham's second less than a minute later.
Again the City defence were undone by a pass through their back-line, and after Marshall pulled off yet another fine stop from Boa Morte, the ball landed at the feet of Ashton who lashed the ball home.
His celebration was muted, but his team mates were clearly delighted to see the striker back on the goal trail after the injury hell of last season.
Half time: Norwich City 0-2 West Ham
The half time break saw changes for both sides, with Chris Brown replacing Strihavka, and George McCartney and Calum Davenport on for Lucas Neil and James Collins.
On 51 minutes nice play between Chadwick and Drury on the left ended with the latter finding Cureton on the edge of the box. He produced an excellent back-heel into Fotheringham's path, but the Scot was edged off the ball by Davenport.
It had been a much brighter start to the second period by City, and a minute later Chadwick sent a shot with the outside of his boot into the side-netting, with some of the Carrow Road crowd thinking it had gone in.
On 56 minutes Croft replaced Cureton and the change paid instant dividends. With the Canaries now operating a 4-3-3 formation, Croft cut inside McCartney on the right and delivered a perfect cross onto the head of Brown, who nodded past Green for his first Carrow Road goal.
It was a well-worked goal by the Canaries, and gave the Carrow Road crowd a real lift.
Croft was looking lively down the right for City, with the Hammers reduced to taking long range pot-shots as the game went on.
Brown too was looking fresh after notching his third goal of pre-season, and was providing a real physical contest for the visitors' two centre halves.
But City could not score again, with the Hammers coming away with the win.
Full time: Norwich City 1-2 West Ham
Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Drury, Shackell (c), Hughes, Doherty, Russell (Martin 65), Fotheringham, Strihavka (Brown 46), Cureton (Croft 56), Chadwick (Dublin 79). Subs: Gilks, Ryan Jarvis, Rossi Jarvis, Cave-Brown, Spillane.
West Ham: Green, Neill (Davenport 46), Spector, Noble (Etherington 70), Upson, Collins (McCartney 46), Bowyer, Mullins, Ashton (Cole 80), Zamora (Bellamy 66), Boa Morte. Subs: Wright, Gabbidon, Pantsil, Reid.
