A STRONG City side featuring Arturo Lupoli, Wes Hoolahan and Jamie Cureton welcomed Southend to Carrow Road and secured a 2-1 win thanks to a well-struck penalty from Damon Lathrope and a goal from Luke Daley.
Norwich had the lion's share of possession in a first half which saw City 'keeper Declan Rudd left almost redundant. A 9th minute run from Arturo Lupoli looked promising but the striker was denied by Southend's defence just in time.
It was the home side who took the lead when Southend's Damien Scannell brought down Lupoli in the area 29 minutes into the match. Damon Lathrope stepped up to the spot and sailed the ball into the top right corner and straight past United's stopper Ian Joyce.
Four minutes later, a cross from Lupoli was met by Luke Daley, who quickly swept the ball past the helpless Southend 'keeper.
Half time: Norwich 2 Southend 0
The Canaries maintained the pressure into the second half and moments after the restart Wes Hoolahan beat two men before unleashing a fierce left-footed strike which went just wide of the right-hand post.
The 52nd minute saw City's Daley cut in from the right and race through the visitors' defence, but his left-footed strike was saved confidently by Joyce.
Soon after, following Lathrope's Challenge on Stuart O'Keefe, Southend's Alan McCormack fired in a 30-yard free-kick which nestled into the right-hand corner of the goal, beating a powerless Rudd with an hour of the game gone.
A through-ball down the right in the 76th minute saw a collision between City's substitute goalkeeper Jed Steer and Southend's Francis Laurent. The visiting player received treatment, and was carried off on a stretcher soon after.
Full time: Norwich 2 Southend 1
Norwich: Rudd (Steer 64), Smith, Eagle, Adeyemi, Archibald-Henville, Soley, Daley, Lathrope, Lupoli (Kelly 72), Cureton, Hoolahan (Lappin 87). Subs not used: Dumic, Francomb, Dawkin
Southend: Joyce, Grant, Herdm Moussa, Sankofa, Lokando, Laurent (Ademeno 83), McCormack, Furlong (O'Keefe 58), Walker, Scannell. Subs not used: Jones, McDondald, Ademeno, Forshaw
Referee: G. Hambling
Attendance: 1,342
