It was the first time that supporters had been back inside the stadium since Norwich's pre-Christmas fixture against Cardiff and the 10,000 plus that made the trip where certainly not disappointed by the display as the home side controlled the match from start to finish.

Head coach Daniel Farke made five changes from the side that had beaten Huddersfield Town in the club’s previous pre-season friendly.

In came Max Aarons, Ben Gibson, Dimitris Giannoulis, Billy Gilmour and Adam Idah and out went Bali Mumba, Christoph Zimmermann, Przemysław Płacheta, Teemu Pukki and Milot Rashica.

In a first half dominated by Norwich, it was Giannoulis who created the first chance as he picked up a ball from Kieran Dowell on the left and swung a cross into the near post that Idah headed over.

The opening goal came after eight minutes when Cantwell jinked his way towards the box. As he was tackled the ball broke loose for Lees-Melou who took time to set himself before sidestepping a challenge and finding the top left corner of the net with a superb finish.

Giannoulis, who looked a danger on the left throughout, then sent in a low cross looking for Idah that Jamie Cumming in the Gillingham goal gathered.

The chances kept arriving for Norwich though as Andrew Omobamidele headed wide, from a Dowell cross, before Billy Gilmour sent a couple off shots just over and Aarons had an effort blocked from close range and then another saved.

So, it was little surprise when the Canaries doubled the advantage. Cantwell kept a bouncing ball in the box alive by superbly hooking a pass over his head to find Adam Idah at the far post who was left with a simple finish.

Gillingham boss Steve Evans made two changes at the break bringing on John Akinde and Danny Lloyd and the visitors began the second 45 with more purpose, without troubling Norwich’s Angus Gunn, who had replaced Tim Krul at the break.

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It was two lovely-weighted passes that put Norwich 3-0 up just past the hour. The first came from Gilmour who fizzed a pass between full back and centre half to find the run of Giannoulis and he was then able to hit a first-time cross right onto the feet of Rupp who tapped home from inside the six-yard box.

Farke then made three changes, taking off Rupp, Lees-Melou and Ben Gibson for Kenny McLean, Jacob Søresen and Christoph Zimmermann.

Giannoulis then almost grabbed a fourth, cushioning a Sørensen pass first time past his opposing full-back and then forcing Cumming to tip his goalbound shot over the bar.

Idah grabbed his second and Norwich’s fourth with 15 minutes to go though collected a ball on the edge of the box before turning his defender and firing home a powerful shot.

Moments later Cantwell attemped to chip a shot over Cumming, forcing the Gillingham keeper into a one-handed save before Idah was denied a hat-trick on two occasions by a good saves from the visitors' replacement keeper Aaron Chapman.

The five star performance was completed though as Sørensen headed home Cantwell's free-kick with a minute to spare.

Norwich City: Krul (GK) (Gunn, 46); Aarons, Omobamidele, Gibson (C), (Zimmermann, 63), Giannoulis; Rupp (Sørensen, 63), Gilmour (Adshead, 85), Lees-Melou (McLean, 63), Cantwell, Dowell (Tomkinson, 82); Idah.
Subs not used:
Goals: Lees-Melou (9), Idah (36, 74), Rupp (62), Sørensen (89)

Gillingham: Cumming (GK) (Chapman, 78), Tutonda, O’Keefe (C), Ehmer, Tucker, Lee (Lloyd, 46), Carayol, Crowley, Bennett (Lintott, 63), Oliver (Akinde, 46, Sithole, 71), Phillips.
Subs not used: Hall, Maghoma.

Attendance: 10,692

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