On a rainy evening at the Avant Training Centre, Alan Neilson's Under-21 side played out a goalless draw with Stoke City in their opening home match of their Premier League 2 season.
In a match which was one-way traffic for the majority, the Canaries did everything but score.
The City starting XI included three players with first-team appearances. Elliot Myles and Errol Mundle-Smith started on the flanks, with Gabriel Forsyth making his long-awaited return to competitive football in the number 10 role.
The first chance of the game came after only three minutes. An Elliot Myles corner from the left fell for Luke Towler to strike on the half-volley, but his effort was well blocked by the onrushing Stoke defenders.
City recycled the ball well and found Myles recovering from his corner-taking duties. With a quick turn of pace, the winger cut in from the left-hand side and sent a curling shot towards Noah Cooper's goal. The Potters' number one was equal to it, reacting well to tip the effort over the bar.
Consistent City pressure followed, without the Canaries being able to carve out any clear-cut goalscoring opportunities.
Midway through the first half, Stoke had their first sight of the Norwich goal with a rare attack of their own. Thomas Midwood picked up the ball midway inside the attacking half and threaded a delicate through ball into Adriel Walker. The forward had space and time to set himself for a low drive across goal, but Caleb Ansen got down quickly to palm away the attempt with a strong right hand.
During the remainder of the first half, the City pressure continued.
On 27 minutes, Rio Mundle laid a ball into the right channel which was latched onto by Forsyth. He chopped inside onto his left foot and saw a low, curling effort from the corner of the box tipped wide of the upright.
From the resulting corner, Sonny Rowland had a headed chance, but his effort was planted straight at the Stoke shot-stopper.
Mundle-Smith had the beating of Stoke full-back Jaden Mears and really should have made more of another opportunity just before the break. Vatan Özcan found the tricky winger on the left, with Mundle-Smith jinking his way past Mears and into the box before firing a powerful drive just above the head of Cooper.
Once again, the Stoke keeper was able to react and divert the shot over the bar.
It was a half of football which Norwich City dominated, but they were unable to break the deadlock.
Two changes for City at the interval saw successful cameos for Mundle-Smith and Forsyth come to an end. They were replaced by Botan Ameen and Toby Chilvers, respectively.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with continued City pressure.
On 50 minutes, Myles found a pocket of space midway inside the Stoke half. He floated a ball out to right-back Rio Mundle, whose early cross into the six-yard box was clawed away unconvincingly by Cooper. Unfortunately for City, no yellow shirt was there to follow up.
Another Norwich chance came after 70 minutes. A corner from the right, delivered by Alan Domeracki, caused carnage in the Stoke City box as the Potters failed to clear.
Captain Theo Adelusi found the ball at his feet on the penalty spot and snatched at his effort, firing over via a slight deflection.
As time ticked on, City kept asking questions of the Stoke defence.
With 75 minutes on the clock, substitute Ameen whipped in an early cross from the right. Finlay Corke stretched but couldn't make contact at the front post, while Chilvers was following in at the back post and saw his close-range effort cannon off the crossbar.
Towler picked up the rebound in the centre of the goal, but a swarm of Stoke defenders took the pace out of his shot. With the ball trickling towards goal, Cooper reacted instinctively to pounce and claw it away at the last second.
Somehow, the match remained goalless.
As we headed into five additional minutes, Reuben Cooper entered the field in place of Alan Domeracki. The midfielder made an instant impact.
Myles, who had been causing problems all evening with his creativity, put a bobbling cross into the box. The ball evaded everyone in its path until it reached Cooper at the back post. He set himself and fired narrowly wide.
In an entertaining Premier League 2 encounter where the Canaries remained on top throughout, they had to settle for just one point to go with their opening day win at Middlesbrough.
Norwich City: Ansen, Mundle, Özcan, Adelusi (C), Rowland, Domeracki (Cooper 90), Myles, Towler (Chukwu 77), Corke, Forsyth (Chilvers 46), Mundle-Smith (Ameen 46)
Unused Subs: Trialist, Williams, Gwanzura
Stoke City: Cooper, Mears (Phillips 61), Dauda (Nzau 80), McWilliams, Thompson, Kelly (C), Morrison, Walker, Achu (Liu 81), Fearn, Midwood (Poole 72)
Unused Subs: Clothier
Half-time: 0-0
Full-time: 0-0
Venue: Avant Training Centre
Referee: Matthew Norton