Norwich City 1 - 0 Brentford : Cup debut win, canaries on song again!!

So after many of seasons laughing with my friends who support Bristol City and Hartlepool, I would myself be able to witness the cup known as the "Johnstones Paint Trophy" and to be honset what a fine game it turned out to be.

This was the very trophy that Luton Town went home with from Wembley in April and given the horrible fate that awaited the fans, it gave them a light at the end of dark tunnel after the season was taken out of the clubs hands by fines and points deduction.

Lambert gave home debut to Goran Maric after his summer move to Carrow Road, the even more interesting move was to include Darel "Rusty" Russell in the line up for the first time since talk of wanting to fly the nest. Whaley also found himself back on the right wing, with some rested first team members it gave chance to have a look at new look team.

City started attacking the barclay end with three up front Maric the target man with Martin on the left, and the winger turned third striker Whaley pushed into much more attacking minded role.

Norwich started as they would mean to go on starting very bright across the midfield. Maric having early touchs but looking a tad off the pace like a man not played much football.

The more the game went on the more City used the width with Hughes being the mence just like the engine of the side being forward then back, and spraying the ball with full creative flow to good open positions making Brentford ball watch.

The Canaries best chance in the first 29 minutes would nearly be goal of the season contender already if it had sneaked in. Ex Ipswich Town goalkeeper Lewis Price made a poor clearence down the Norwich right for Adeyemi to be quick of mind and see Price out of his goal, sending his low hard shot goalwards only just yards from creeping in the left hand corner to be cleared by Marcus Bean's long legs.

On 30 minutes the canaries calm easy flow football paid off. Stephen Hughes started a neat move down the right with good neat foot work by Adeyemi and Whaley, they released the ball into the box which found Martin just inside the centre of the box who with his right foot bent the ball round the keeper and his shot went in off the inside right bar. 1-0 City, cup fever!!

Brentford after this did start to look like they might come back into it former Dagenham player Sam Saunders looked like he could be trouble down their left, city leave gaps many times for the ball to be switched out to the left only for no one in the box to make anything from the danager of Saunders balls into the ten yard box.

City need to keep close eye on Sam Saunders in the 2nd half, he done real damage to the canaries in the away fixture.

Half - Time : Norwich 1 - 0 Brentford

The 2nd half got underway with the fantastic news of the attendence of 12,540 fans, and a number of familys who had come out at the special cup prices had proved a real coy move by the marketing gang in the yellow n green offices.

The game it self really never sparked off like the 1st half, with Brentford looking most dangerous from set pieces.

One fine example was in the 55th minute when a Brentford corner found the head of their striker Cleveland Taylor whos fine goal bound header produced a world class save from Ben Alnwick with one hand.

Cody McDonald would come on to the canarie crowd singing "Englands number one" after his goal keeping skills at the end of the Sunderland game.

That was about as much could be sumed up from the 2nd half the canaries making hard work of the last 20 minutes, really with a Brentford side looking like they could play all night but never really hurt us.

Paul Lambert praised his team after the game, and gave the nod to Russell who had played a game this season, also to Maric maybe being kind because on the show of this evening nothing really looked great touch or being strong!

Asked about did he try and bring any players in? The answer was yes one or two, but did not come off within the time but would maybe look again when the loan window opens.

So bring on the Midlands best Walsall, City need to go again but we do look more of the team Lambert wants.

Full Time: Norwich 1 - 0 Brentford

Newton Man of the Match - Stephen Hughes