You get the feeling City's summer really got going this evening as the Canaries ruthlessly despatched Falkenbergs FF 3-0 on the same night as former Arsenal man Arturo Lupoli arrived in Norfolk on a season-long loan.
In the final game of their Swedish tour, goals from Darel Russell, Lee Croft and Jamie Cureton sealed a comfortable win and City can now look forward to a sterner test against Juande Ramos' Spurs next Monday.
The hosts were expected to offer greater resistance than City's first opponents, Ahlafors, but the second tier side spent much of the game chasing shadows; the Canaries really were that good.
As expected, City boss Glenn Roeder made changes from the side that overcame the part-timers on Saturday, with Wes Hoolahan, Russell, Cureton and new arrival Elliot Omozusi being given the chance to impress from the start.
French trialist Chris Makiese kept his place in attack after his goalscoring debut at the weekend but Gary Doherty and Jason Shackell sat this one out with the ankle knocks sustained in the last-gasp 2-1 Ahlafors win.
As a result, Sammy Clingan joined Fulham loanee Omozusi at the back as Roeder continues to reshuffle his pack.
The match started at an unusually fast tempo for a friendly and City were in front after four minutes through a bullet header from Russell. It was Mark Fotheringham's corner which created the chance and much to the delight of the 150 or so Canary fans, City were in front.
The home side almost got back on level terms seconds later but David Marshall saved well after Tobias Nilsson's powerful shot and Roeder's men continued to attack in the glorious summer sunshine. Apart from that one chance, Falkenbergs were struggling to get out of their own half.
On eight minutes, Cureton had a golden chance to make it two but his shot just trickled wide. Six minutes later, the tourists had another effort on goal and Mark Fotheringham will have been pleased to get his effort on target, even if it never looked like beating Stojan Lukic.
Refusing to let up, Russell blazed over whilst inside the box and on 22 minutes, Cureton headed narrowly over but in between the chances, City were playing some great stuff, with Omozusi, especially, looking very composed on his debut.
On 25, Falkenbergs fashioned their second real opportunity as they desperately searched for a way back into the match but Joel Johansson's effort didn't do enough to beat Marshall at his near post.
Twelve minutes later, David Svensson forced the City 'keeper into a routine save but Saturday's goal hero Cureton found himself with another chance to make it two but he failed to connect with a Hoolahan cross.
However, seconds later, they did make it two and it was that man Hoolahan again who was at the heart of it. His trickery and resulting cross found its way to Croft in the six-yard box and the winger bundled the ball over the line to give the Canaries a deserved two-goal lead at half-time.
The second half started in the same vein with City on the attack and Makiese ? who had a quiet first half in fairness ? shot over minutes after the restart. But whilst they continued to press, they almost conceded on 55 minutes after a defensive mix-up between Marshall and Clingan, only for the Northern Irishman to put in an excellent block with the goal at Johannson's mercy.
Two minutes later, Makiese had another chance to make it three but his shot, after good work from Hoolahan again, was parried by the home 'stopper.
But, deservedly, they made the game safe on the hour mark and it was a sublime bit of skill from Cureton to take his tally to two for the tour.
On the corner of the penalty area, the Barclay End favourite chipped the ball with great aplomb and there was certainly no sign of his niggling groin injury as he gave the Canaries a three-goal cushion.
City were dominating in the same way they did in their tour opener but there was a ruthlessness about this side and Roeder and Co will be encouraged with this showing as we approach the final two friendlies of the summer against Spurs and Colchester next week.
The game, however, slowly wound down after Cureton's wonder strike but a Pattison piledriver on 82 minutes could have given City an even more convincing win. There was, however, a special moment for Academy youngster David Stephens who found his way to City's training camp via a trip to Sweden with his Welsh age group.
He replaced Croft with three minutes remaining and his name will certainly be one to watch.
City: Marshall; Otsemobor, Omozusi, Clingan, Pattison; Croft (Stephens 87), Russell (Smith 77), Fotheringham, Hoolahan (Eagle 74); Cureton (Chadwick 65), Makiese (Martin 58)
Man of the match: Wes Hoolahan.
Tom Haylett
Leave a Reply