Under-23s defeated by Stoke City at Carrow Road

The U23s saw two changes from the side that took their 3-0 victory over Southampton last week, Regan Riley and Shae Hutchinson coming in for Daniel Adshead and Tom Dickson-Peters respectively.

The young Canaries looked comfortable on the ball from kick-off, putting Stoke under pressure early on with a high press. This press gave City a fair number of chances early on, the best of them coming from Abu Kamara.

The forward, who scored a hat-trick last week, turned nicely with the ball inside the 18-yard box and shot for the bottom corner, his shot saved by Nathan Broome.

Just five minutes later and it was Kamara who once again was causing havoc for the Potters’ backline, latching onto Riley’s ball forward well and breaking past the defence. It was another golden opportunity for the striker, but his effort just drifted wide of the target.

In a dominant 30 minutes for City, Tony Springett would be next in line to have his attempt at goal, running into the box and firing just off the mark as his effort fizzed past Broome.

However, Stoke weren’t without their chances, and would end up taking the lead before half time with Edward Jones’ wide free-kick finding the far corner in a crowded City box.

Starting the second half on the same positive note they were on for majority of the first, City instantly came out from the traps looking for the equaliser.

Josh Giurgi found Kamara with his ball over the top, the latter taking it down nicely and firing for goal, but once again Broome parried wide for the corner.

The young Canaries biggest chance wouldn’t come until the 62^nd minute, when substitute Tom Dickson-Peters timed his run nicely to pick up Jon Rowe’s through ball. Cutting inside the box nicely, the striker was left disappointed when his curling effort just brushed the outside of the post.

Five minutes later, City came close to the leveller once again after Rowe’s well-caught header forced a big save from Broome to keep the Potters ahead.

While chances weren’t falling how City would like in an attacking sense, their defensive work was solid throughout, shown in the 81^st minute. As Demaeco Duhaney fired a cross in from the right, the Potters looked to double their lead with a sweetly struck volley, but they were denied by Joe Rose with his terrific save.

Despite controlling the majority of the game, it was Stoke who would hold onto the lead by full time, taking all three points with their 1-0 victory at Carrow Road.

Norwich City Under-23s starting line-up: Rose, Giurgi, Tomkinson (c), Warner, Earley, Gibbs, Riley (Khumbeni, 70), Springett, Kamara, Hutchinson (Tom Dickson-Peters, 46), Rowe
Subs not used: Berry
Goals: N/A
Bookings: Tomkinson (24)

Stoke City Under-23s starting line-up: Broome, Duhaney, Jones, Sy (Malone, 70), Okagbue, Macari (c), Wright-Phillips, Sparrow, James-Taylor, Jarrett (Adebambo, 70), Norton (Max McCarthy, 90)
Subs not used: Baker, Hemfrey
Goals: Jones (40)
Bookings: Sy (24)