CITY Reserves ran out 1-0 winners over Wycombe Wanderers thanks to a George Francomb second-half penalty.
In a game with limited clear-cut goalscoring opportunities it was the Canaries who secured the points in the penultimate Totesport.com Combination game of the season at Carrow Road.
The young Canaries started with Patrick Drmola and Danny Kelly up front, with Jens Berthel Askou adding a touch of experience at the back and Francomb partnering him in central defence.
City's first opportunity of the half came on 17 minutes, Matt Ball meeting a good cross from the right with a firm header, gorcing former Canary Academy 'keeper Steve Arnold to make a save low to his left.
With half-an-hour on the clock the visitors had a penalty appeal waved away when Declan Rudd made contact with forward Matt Harrold after he mis-kicked a clearance and the striker went down under his challenge - but the referee dismissed Harrold's appeals and played on.
Josh Dawkin, playing just off the front two, had a good opportunity after 36 minutes. The Welsh youth international beat the Wycombe offside trap to race on to Richard Brindley's through-ball. but Arnold came racing out of his goal and did enough to distract Dawkin whose attempted lob just drifted wide of the post.
Half-time: City Reserves 0, Wycombe Reserves 0
The Canaries made two changes at half-time - Ryan Oakley and Sam Kelly replacing Askou and Brindley.
Wycombe got off to the better start with Harrold narrowly dragging a shot wide and Rudd saving at the feet of both Adrian Clifton and Jerome Federico in quick succession in the first 10 minutes of the period.
City's first opportunity of the half came when Danny Kelly sent a looping header on to the roof of the net after connecting well with a Damon Lathrope corner at the far post.
Then on 73 minutes Norwich did take the lead when Chairboys' defender Harry Pell pulled the shirt of Drmola in the box as the City striker tried to make room for himself to take a shot. The referee pointed to the spot and Francomb stepped up to comfortably convert after sending Arnold the wrong way.
Arnold did prevent the Canaries extending their lead six minutes later, when he saved at the feet of Danny Kelly after the Irish youth international broke free in the Wycombe box.
Wycombe had a final push at the end - Simon Cox rattling the post from a free-kick and Tom Dunford heading straight at Rudd, but the Canaries held on.
Full-time: City Reserves 1, Wycombe Reserves 0
City Reserves: Rudd, Brindley (Oakley 46), Gordon, Francomb, Askou (S. Kelly 46), Lathrope, Adeyemi, Ball, Drmola (A. Stephens 76), D. Kelly, Dawkin. Subs not used: Matthews, Dobbs.
Wycombe Reserves: Arnold, Cox, Spence, Pell, Raccine, Cox, Federico, Westlake, Clifton (Harris 60), Harrold (Fitchett 56), Dunford (Scowen 87). Subs not used: Williams, Kewley-Graham.
Referee: R. Whitton.
Attendance: 103
Pictures courtesy of Richard Phillips
