NORWICH City beat Ipswich Town 1-0 in the first East Anglian derby for over three years after Lewis Grabban's goal at Portman Road.

The striker headed home midway through the opening half to earn the Canaries the local bragging rights and ensure a third win on the spin.

Grabban could have added to his tally in a game which City edged throughout, with the three points putting them temporarily top of the Sky Bet Championship ahead of the 3pm kick-offs.

Adams left Javier Garrido on the bench before kick-off, with Ryan Bennett stepping into the back four in his only change from Tuesday's 3-1 victory over the Blackburn Rovers.

Carlos Cuellar and Cameron Jerome, who both completed moves to the Canaries on Wednesday, were named among the substitutes, taking shirt numbers three and ten respectively.

David McGoldrick returned from injury to take his place in Ipswich's starting eleven, their only change from their 2-2 draw with Birmingham City.

Garrido was soon thrown into the action, however, after Bennett was forced off with an injury following a collision with Daryl Murphy, with Adams reverting to the defence that started against Blackburn.

Murphy poked a shot over the bar in the only chance of a fraught opening period of the game where Ipswich were harnessing the energy of the crowd, pressing the ball and launching quickly into their direct style of play.

Half chances for Steven Whittaker and Grabban indicated that the Canaries were working them out and they got their reward on 24 minutes.

Wes Hoolahan's corner was cleared to the edge of the box where Alex Tettey was waiting to nod it back into the danger area, and hovering was Grabban, who took advantage of some indecision from the home defence to head the ball into the net.

McGoldrick almost scored after a well-worked free-kick routine for the hosts but they lacked any incision in attacking areas, with the best chances from the rest of the half falling to Kyle Lafferty.

Initially the former Burnley man failed to connect with a Nathan Redmond pass before he glanced a header wide after a free-kick from the speedy winger.

HALF-TIME: Ipswich Town 0-1 Norwich City

Ipswich could have equalised just five minutes after half-time when Jay Tabb chipped a cross into the box with Murphy free, but the striker nodded wide knowing he should have done better.

They should have been penalised just moments later when Garrido found Grabban in space, but this time he tried to be too cute with his chipped finish and it went over the bar.

Two more chances for City's leading scorer came and went; the first a dipping volley that Gerken did well to palm away, the second a wasted opportunity that was cleared comfortably off the line after he was set free by Bradley Johnson.

Norwich were keeping their hosts at arm's length, which forced Mick McCarthy into a triple substitution on 72 minutes.

Javi Garrido's venture forward ended in a powerful shot from the angle that Gerken kept out, but they held firm at the other end to take the points.

FULL-TIME: Ipswich Town 0-1 Norwich City

GOALS: Tractor Boys: - Canaries: Lewis Grabban (24)

IPSWICH TOWN: Gerken; Mings, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Skuse, Murphy, McGoldrick, Anderson (Sammon 72), Tabb (Henshall 72), Hyam (Bru 72). Subs not used: Bialkowski (GK), Parr, Bajner, Hewitt.

NORWICH CITY: Ruddy; Martin (c), R Bennett (Garrido 7), Turner, Whittaker; Tettey, Johnson; Lafferty (E Bennett 53), Hoolahan (O'Neil 83), Redmond; Grabban. Subs not used: Rudd (GK), Cuellar, Jerome, Josh Murphy.

REFEREE: Mr Keith Stroud

ATTENDANCE: 25,245

REPORT: IPSWICH TOWN 0-1 NORWICH CITY

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