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Lowestoft Town 1 – 5 Norwich City

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When Stuart Webber sat down with Steve Stone to talk about the new position being created at Norwich City he must have seen something in the club that few of us, mere mortals, see.

At that precise juncture in his life he looked at Norwich City, failing to reach the Championship play-offs with a team who, arguably, were decent enough to have won the damn thing and compared them to his current team who were flying high towards the Premier League. He then chose to commit to remain in the 2nd tier of football to prove he isn’t a one-trick pony.

Had he remained he would be setting up for the new season of wonders with an away game at Acrington Stanley. Instead his first away fixture on English shores was the Micky Chapman testimonial game at Lowestoft Town. Now, that is not a comment to diminish the commitment to Micky who has been involved with the Trawler Boys for something in-excess of 1,600 matches, but the reality is that the ‘glamour tie’ reference in this article summary was very much for the benefit of the Lowestoft fans.

For supporters of Norwich it was, however, the first chance to see Webber’s and Farke’s new team and tactics up-close and local.

Post-Howson.

That was already the main talking point this week – made even more prominent by the sight of Jonny adorned across the souvenir programme. As Michael Bailey noted on Twitter – AWKWARD!

The game itself sounded very much like you’d expect. Like a training game. The players keen to impress the new gaffer (especially where there is some obvious competition) but no one exerting themselves any harder than absolutely necessary.

Two or three early chances, including a Marley Watkins strike against the post suggested that it would be a very one-sided affair, but on 21 minutes Lowestoft took the lead through Travis Cole after McGovern had denied Jake Reed from close range.

Four minutes later Norwich were level when Jamal Lewis was denied by the hand of Rory McAuley and Camerone Jerome dispatched the resulting penalty.

Norwich moved up the gears and when Naismith scored on 38 minutes I’ll admit I was really pleased. Naismith has never delivered on the expected promise and he remains a bit of an enigma. He could, and I stress, could become a top-player for us and he seems to really want to deliver for us. I really hope he has a top season.

The Canaries made it 3-1 when Watkins neatly beat Town keeper, Dudzinski, to the ball and slotted in to an empty net before the break.

In the second half we saw 6 changes made by Farke and I think we played with more coherence, despite the fewer returns.

Norwich’s fourth came courtesy of Oliviera dispatching a Carlton Morris cross on 58 minutes and the final goal was made and taken by three of the subs when Morris held the ball up nicely for Harry Toffolo to play in Vrancic who scored in the top corner to make it 5-1 after 62 minutes.

The final half an hour was more parade football that passionate but at least the dust has been blown away from the legs and we can all start to see how DF will shape out his team. Tuesday night at Stevenage, for me, is the first real test of the team. They are a decent side who will want to claim an early scalp. I expect a far more robust test of our defence.

Lowestoft: Dudzinski (Putnins 74); Barker, McAuley (Westlake 60), Cole, Humphrey; White (Nyadzayo 68), Zielonka (Bishop 85), Hodd (Haizel 63), Bammant; Greenleaf; Reed (Tarft 82)

Goal: Cole 21

Norwich first half: McGovern; Wildschut, Godfrey, Zimmermann, Lewis; Reed; Watkins, Naismith, Maddison, Josh Murphy; Jerome.

Norwich second half: Matthews; Wildschut, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Toffolo; Reed; Watkins, Pritchard, Vrancic, Morris; Oliveira.

Goals: Jerome pen 25, Naismith 38, Watkins 44, Oliveira 58, Vrancic 62

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