Canaries sink Stoke on the road

Norwich City ran out 3-0 winners at the bet365 Stadium thanks to goals from Josh Sargent, Gabriel Sara and Ashley Barnes.

Norwich City ran out 3-0 winners at the bet365 Stadium thanks to goals from Josh Sargent, Gabriel Sara and Ashley Barnes.

The Canaries scored twice in five minutes during the first half and sealed the win in the second half in front of the 1,750 travelling Norwich support.

Ahead of the game, David Wagner made no changes to the starting 11 that beat Rotherham United 5-0 last weekend at Carrow Road, only bringing academy prospect Waylon Renecke in to replace club captain Grant Hanley on the bench.

The call-up would be the South African's first senior involvement as a Canary.

Norwich were looking for their first league away win since beating Hull 2-1 in January earlier in the year, which was followed with two losses and a draw on the road.

Borja Sainz started lively for the Canaries, getting an impressive effort on target from the edge of the box inside two minutes, but Daniel Iversen was able to save and clear the danger.

The first threat from the hosts came through a Ki-Jana Hoever solo run on the right, who found space to shoot but could only hit Angus Gunn's cross bar via a nick off the goalkeeper.

A blocked cross for Jack Stacey down the right allowed the right-back to shoot from just inside the box, but his follow-up effort was denied well again by a Stoke shirt.

The breakthrough then came, after a fantastic ball from Kenny McLean found Sainz and Sargent through on goal with just Iversen left to beat.

The Spaniard, who had latched onto McLean's ball, unselfishly passed to the American in the box, who rolled his effort over the line to put Norwich ahead after 24 minutes.

It took just four minutes for the Canaries to double their lead, as, again, Sainz made space down the left and it was Sara who this time found the back of the net.

Stoke came close to pulling one back through captain Josh Laurent, whose header from a corner was just over the bar.

The hosts had a spell of pressure in the Norwich box in injury time of the first half, but could not find the back of the net before the break.

In the second half, Stoke's Tyrese Campbell came close after 50 minutes when he leaped for a header but the effort was too high.

Things, however, went from bad to worse for Stoke, as Barnes reacted quickest in the box to McLean's rebounded shot, knocking the ball in from close-range.

Norwich had the chance to extend the lead further when Sargent, Núñez and Sara pressed high to create a shooting opportunity, but Stacey's effort went wide and high.

A curling effort from Sara required Iversen to make a strong punch away from goal and then the Stoke 'keeper denied Sargent his second shortly after.

A hopeful shot from substitute Million Manhoef was sent into the stands five minutes from normal time, in an attempt to reduce Stoke's deficit.

The final charge for Stoke meant Gunn had to leap into action but he blocked a strike well to keep the clean sheet in tact.

Stoke City: Iversen; Wilmot (Manhoef h-t), Rose, McNally; Hoever, Pearson (Thompson 19), Laurent (C), Baker (Mmaee 58), Gooch (Cundle 74); Bae, Campbell (Ennis 58)

Unused subs: Bonham, Vidigal, Hakšabanović, Léris

Bookings: Campbell (55)

Norwich City: Gunn; Stacey (Fisher 88), Sørensen (Batth 69), Gibson, McCallum; Núñez, McLean (C), Sara, Sainz (Fassnacht 69), Barnes (van Hooijdonk 88); Sargent (Gibbs 83)

Unused subs: Long, Renecke, Welch, Aboh

Goals: Sargent (24), Sara (28), Barnes (60)

HT: 0-2

FT: 0-3

Referee: Gavin Ward

Venue: bet365 Stadium

Attendance: 21,887