Ahead of Norwich’s 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship campaign, City opened their pre-season fixtures at Aldiss Park tonight and put four past a resilient Dereham Town side.
Dean Smith played a game of two halves, giving minutes to 22 different first team and academy players.
City started the game lively and held the majority of the possession for both halves of the game.
Tony Springett was first to cross into the opposition box, just inside of three minutes but missed the feet of two yellow shirts hoping to hit the target.
Springett then managed a shot of his own from close range but was unable to beat the Dereham keeper, Bilham.
Just after the seven-minute mark, City went ahead through a Jordan Hugill header at close range. Todd Cantwell’s corner fell to Tyrese Omotoye in the box and was flicked on to the number nine and into the back of the net.
Following the goal, the Magpies were given their first attack of the game, with a cross into the box from the left wing that was cleared to safety by Jaden Warner.
After 18 minutes, Kenny McClean came knocking on the Town door, after a Cantwell corner allowed him to shoot from inside the box and was blocked by the Town back line.
Hugill looked eager to double the lead after he found the back of the net again but was flagged for offside, then later hit the bar and the Town keeper from close-range.
Dereham’s number seven, Logan, was fouled just outside the city half by Bali Mumba, winning the Magpies their first free kick after 35 minutes.
The set piece was taken but City were able to regain possession, allowing Omotoye to counter down the left wing. His cross into the box was unable to meet a yellow shirt in the box.
Dereham then forced City to react quickly after they won themselves a corner Angus Gunn tipped a promising header behind for a corner. The corner was taken and subsequently rolled into the back of the City net, but was flagged for a foul and not given.
Seconds before the half time whistle, Springett worked his way around the Dereham Town keeper and left Hugill to net his second of the match.
Half time saw a complete change in Dean Smith’s side, as the starting eleven made way for eleven fresh legs.
Just three minutes into the half, Tom Dickson-Peters found the back of the net to make it three for City, after his effort rounded the keeper and rolled into the back of the net.
The second starting eleven were able to keep pressing the home side high and cause plenty of trouble in the Dereham half.
Just before the 47-minute mark, the Yellows looked a huge threat in the box as Dickson Peters, Saxon Earley and Dowell all went for goal in the box, but none could hit the target.
City later had chances from Pierre Lees-Melous, Flynn Clarke and Jonathan Rowe, but none could add their name to the score sheet.
Dereham had their best chance of the game on 73 minutes as two of the substitute Magpies worked well in the box to fire inches high of the target.
With 15 minutes to go, Jacob Sorenson had the ball in the back of the net from a corner, but was flagged for offside.
Rowe, who had been a danger to the Magpies all game, was fouled in the box five minutes before full time, awarding City a penalty. Dowell stepped up to take a converted from the spot, to see the game off.
Christoph Zimmermann was given the last clear chance of the game, as he managed a back heel in the air from a corner that went inches too high.
Dereham Town XI: Bilham, Haylett, Martin, Castellan, Fox, Frary, Logan, Johnson, Bemrose, Mensah-Sakey
Norwich City XI: Gunn (McGovern 45), Mumba (Sorenson 45), Warner (Tomkinson 45), Gibson (Zimmermann 45), McCallum (Riley 45), Gibbs (Earley 45), McClean (Lees-Melous), Cantwell (Clarke 45), Springett (Dowell 45), Omotoye (Rowe 45), Hugill (Dickson-Peters 45)
Goals: Hugill (7, 45), Dickson-Peters (48), Dowell (88 (P))
Half time: 0-2
Venue: Aldiss Park