City boss Paul Lambert was tonight celebrating a second, successive City victory, another clean sheet and one, small first step on the road to Wembley after Chris Martin's 30th minute strike earned the Canaries a 1-0 win over Johnstone's Paints Trophy visitors Brentford.
He also took time out to salute the City faithful � 12,540 of whom headed for Carrow Road for this evening's first round clash; 8,000 more than the next best attendance of the night.
�That was incredible,� said Lambert, once again left awe-struck by the depth of the City support.
�I said the first day that I came here that the fan-base is incredible � 12,500 on a really wet night; to come out and support the lads again� It's a brilliant fan-base. No doubt about it.�
And, in fairness, they were rewarded with a half-decent contest; certainly, the opening 45 minutes provided enough thrills and spills to keep all concerned entertained.
The game died something of a death after the interval, but bar one magnificent reaction stop from keeper Ben Alnwick deep in the second-half, the City faithful could take comfort from another defensively solid outing as Michael Nelson and Jens Berthel Askou took the sting out of the Bees' strike force.
It was, in short, all a far cry from that 7-1 humiliation by Colchester just four short weeks ago; or, indeed, the 2-1 defeat at Griffin Park a fortnight ago.
�Brentford weren't going to come here and just let us have the ball,� said Lambert, making just the eight changes to the side that racked up an equally comfortable 2-0 away win at Hartlepool on Saturday.
�They're going to try and stop us � and they've just beaten us a couple of weeks ago, so we've got back at them. And if you can show me a football team that's going to come here and let us dictate play, then I'd love to play them.�
As predicted, the new Canary chief handed starts to Darel Russell and Goran Maric, while the 'Luton Two' of Martin and Michael Spillane were both recalled for their latest JPT adventure.
Martin certainly relished playing in a wider, left-hand role. He should have swept Norwich in front as early as the eighth minute, only to make amends for that missed one-on-one with the sweetest of strikes from 22-yards on the half-hour mark that pinged in off the base of Lewis Price's left-hand upright.
�It was a brilliant goal � terrific,� said a delighted manager, pleased in particular by the way that the 20-year-old shrugged off his earlier miss.
�The easiest thing for him to do was to go into his shell, but he never; he kept on wanting the ball and taking it which is a sign of bravery.
�And, as I say, his goal was terrific.�
It was a description that Lambert also applied to Russell's performance after he came back in from the cold. With both Matty Gill and Owain Tudur Jones sidelined with injury and today's transfer deadline coming and going without a fresh face, so he needs Russell about the place.
�I thought Darel was terrific given that he hasn't played for� I don't know how long.
�To last the game � let alone his performance � was great.�
Maric was less impressive, but � in fairness � he hasn't had too much game-time since shining in that pre-season tour to Scotland. �Goran hasn't played and he looks a bit rusty, there's no doubt,� admitted Lambert. �But he hasn't played for a long time.�
Martin's early miss apart, City could have taken a 14th minute lead via a 45-yard effort from Simon Whaley that needed a last-gasp clearance from Karleigh Osborne to clear; while both Askou and Nelson would go close to adding to their recent goal-scoring feats either side of the interval.
Brentford would threaten as Norwich went off the boil before the break, but Alnwick still only had that one, big save to make all evening.
As for today's transfer activity � or non-activity � Lambert suggested that City had come close to a spot of business. Both in and out of the building. However, both Wes Hoolahan and Gary Doherty remain Norwich players tonight.
And with neither going out, it was � you sensed � difficult for Lambert to wheel and deal anyone in.
�We did come close with a number of lads, but its never that easy to get people out and we don't have the money to go and spend here, there and everywhere.
�We tried to get loans and swaps, but they didn't materialise.
�Am I happy to go with what I've got? You have to; that's the nature of the game. When the transfer window reopens then we'll maybe have another look, but when you come in with just two weeks to go before the transfer window [closes] it's not easy.�
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