Norwich City 1 - 4 Sunderland - No cup shocks..but food for thought for Lambert!

Lambert said after the game he had learned more from that 90 minutes about his new canaries then Saturday's win over Wycombe.

Lambert was very sure of sugar and spice by trying to mix the team again with youth and experince, in came Doc, Tudur Jones, Hoolahan, Whaley, and the shock debut for Luke Daley 18 years old.

Changes were made in the Sunderland camp, a chance for Steve Bruce to get headaches from some of his fringe players, but still enough quality and experince from the premiership to scare any team let alone one just been put together over the summer to also have had two managers in that time as well!

The canaries kicked things off heading towards the barclay end with their yellow and green shirts shining in the flood lights. The other thing that stood out was Sunderlands big lad K Jones who is all arms and legs.

Early exchanges were scrappy with the canaries the more neat side bringing the ball from midfield and use the width well. Whaley and Hoolahan getting joy at running at the full backs who were ball watching most of the time when Hoolahan had the ball at his feet choose which trick to unleash.

Sunderland shocked me for their part in the opening exchanges use the long ball route up to the big and all over the place Jones who let his out of control limbs do the talking but never really looking like his head was his strenghth and keeping Campbell out the game.

City in the first half would have the canarie die hards calling for a pen when Noseworthy bundled young Daley off the ball in the area, then Daley again just showing lack of experince at senior level was put clean through to make it all look a bit powder puff.

The mackems had change of heart after first 10 minutes and it hit them like bolt of lightning about passing and keeping it on the ground the front two were sharp!

14 minutes was the writing on the wall to come, Carlos Edwards playing at right back cracked in a fantastic cross which Campbell met with a stunning over head kick which was met with a great finger tip save by Alnwick.

It was then the count down to how long we could shut the door from the more and more confident premiership outfit, in the 26th minute the wait was over Jones turned the stuck in the mud Doc who got just inside the box to cross low and hard to be met by the run of Tainio who hit low and hard giving Alnwick no chance. 0-1!!!

The class between us and the Macks started to show and then from city going forward in the 30th minute Sunderland got the ball at Jones feet again he ran length of the field only to see Reid unmarked to his left who lifted a sweet lob over Alnwick. 0-2!!

Everytime the canaries now came forward it was bad news when they lost the ball because the Sunderland front two were looking like they wanted to cause damage, this time Campbell picked up the ball edge of Citys box only to feed another low ball across for Ried to slide the ball home. 0-3!!! We need half time and quick.

The Norwich crowd still behind the canaries they play out the half looking for the masterplan for a cup comeback!

Half Time: Norwich 0 - 3 Sunderland

What to follow was a very poor 2nd half with Sunderland happy to play out the game letting us come at them, just soaking up the pressure from our attacks at the riverend.

Lambert did make things fresh and early on by throwing into play new strikers Chris Martin and Cody McDonald who had just been told not to make it easy for the premiership team.

On 63 minutes the home crowd got to cheer loud as the ball came in from the right McDonald header crashed against the bar only for Hoolahan to follow in...1-3, come on city!!

Just as City came alive, Reid won a corner which he took in swinging a strange twist of fate it came down and hit Tudur Jones leg and in past Alnwick!! 1-4!! Game over!

Then the talking point of the game Campbell went clean through chased by Spillane who leaned into the ex Man Utd striker who falls and slides into the outcoming Alnwick to collect the ball.

What follows is a red card for Spillane and no away trip to Victoria Park! Campbell gets up after long treatment but Alnwick looks to have nasty cut to his face...and city have used all the subs. So down to nine men and who goes in goal little Cody McDonald..yes McDonald will play 8 minutes in goal for Norwich! The fans get behind him and the team to the credit of all corners of the ground.

Full Time: Norwich City 1 - 4 Sunderland

• Norwich City: Alnwick; Otsemobor, Spillane, Doherty, Lappin; Whaley (McDonald, 61), Adeyemi (Smith, 75), Tudur Jones, Hoolahan; Daley, Holt (Martin, 61). Subs (not used): Rudd, Nelson, Hughes, McVeigh.
  
   
• Sunderland: Gordon; Edwards, Nosworthy, Da Silva, McCartney; Henderson, Tainio (Healy, 74), Leadbitter, Reid; Jones (Murphy, 45), Campbell (Malbranque, 86). Subs (not used): Carson, Bardsley, Ferdinand, O'Donovan.
  
   
• Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
  
   
• Attendance: 12,345
   

Lambert was pleased with the canaries performence and confirmed he did not know how bad the injury to Alnwick was, except it was very nasty gash to his face. He confirmed would be more then happy to play Rudd if need be come 3pm Saturday at Hartlepool.

Asked about Russell, he confirmed he knew that Russell wanted to leave last season but was not