Show of strength in Fortress Carrow Road

City turned on the style at Fortress Carrow Road again last night to pocket another three valuable points to keep them in the thick of the promotion battle.

If there is a sign that City have genuine credentials then it comes in the stats with three players all hitting the double figure goals mark before the festive season.

It doesn't happen very often at Carrow Road, but Grant Holt, Wes Hoolahan and Chris Martin are now having their own personal battle.

Holt leads with 15, but Hoolahan and Martin, both with 10, are not far behind.

It was a night when all three found the back of the net, although their exploits will be shared with the memory of a mass brawl in the first half that threatens to have consequences for City should referee Keith Hill include the gory details in his match report.

But it shouldn't take away from a City performance that enthralled another big Carrow Road crowd who haven't seen them lose in eight games at home in all competitions and not in the league since opening day.

City boss Lambert kept faith with the same starting XI - and bench - which earned a point at Southampton on Saturday.

Liam Dickinson returned to the front line for Brighton, the striker coming in for the injured Nicky Forster as the only change to the side which lost to Leeds on Saturday.

Right back Gavin Hoyte, on loan from Arsenal, had to settle for a place on the bench after completing a three-match ban.

City got off to a flier, taking the lead after just three minutes, Jens Berthel Askou clearing the ball down the left channel to Holt in the area, and although the ball bobbled, City's leading scorer somehow managed to chip the ball over keeper Graeme Smith. There was a whiff of a miscue, although any striker worth his salt would claim it was all planned.

Two penalty appeals - one for handball as Martin jumped to meet Adam Drury's cross and then when Simon Lappin was challenged - fell on deaf ears as City pressed.

Brighton could - and should - have equalised on eight minutes, but Liam Dickinson somehow managed to miss the target after being put through by Elliott Bennett, getting a lucky rebound off Gary Doherty and then lining up the target with his right foot.

The goal certainly opened the game up nice and early, with no sign of the Tranmere-like mass defending - and Brighton were certainly no mugs, quick to put City on the back foot.

Albion skipper Andrew Crofts saw a shot blocked by Drury after a neat corner routine, while the excellent Hoolahan and Lappin combined well to set up a chance for Martin, who blasted over from eight yards.

Brighton had only themselves to blame for City's second, Dean Cox receiving a “hospital” ball from Gary Dicker deep in their own territory and then losing it to Drury's challenge. Hoolahan picked up the pieces and shot home from 10 yards, taking him into double figures for the season.

It was then that the match then descended into shameful scenes as Russell and Cox tangled just outside the City penalty area - and almost every player joined in the brawl.

Bodies were piled on top of each other, but referee Hill - his job perhaps made difficult by the sheer weight of numbers involved - showed only yellow cards to Russell, Cox and Crofts.

It may have been more of a scrum than a free-for-all, but there may be a nervous wait to see what the referee's post-match report contains.

When the dust settled, City could have been three ahead, but Holt used too much leverage as he buried Korey Smith's excellent cross in the back of the net.

Three would have been harsh on Brighton - and Cox could have halved the deficit when he was given too much space down the right but fired into the side netting.

Lappin curled one straight at keeper Smith as half-time approached - and only a “touch of the Arsenals” prevented Hoolahan from adding another in injury time after terrific football between him and Holt just stretched into the too elaborate category. But few could complain about the entertainment factor - and City started the second half seemingly intent on providing even more.

Holt was having a feisty contest with Brighton left back Adam El-Abd, which was worth watching in itself. Dicker didn't take his eyes off the ball though, in the right place at the right time - 55 minutes - to hack away Doherty's goalbound header from Lappin's corner.

Smith was negligent then, coming but failing to get anywhere near the ball, but he came to the rescue moments later when he kept out Holt's right-foot effort after the striker latched on to a lovely through-ball by Hoolahan.

Holt headed the resulting corner over as chances and put another into Smith's arms as chances began to go begging.

City were dominant as the game entered its final third, with a string of corners keeping Brighton on the back foot.

But then suddenly the game threatened to change, when Brighton pulled one back, Murray finding himself with space on the left of the area and poking the ball goalwards for defender James Tunnicliffe to clip home from six yards.

It was a poor goal to concede, especially considering City's dominance at that stage and gave the visitors renewed hope.

That hope lasted for seven minutes, and once again Brighton played a part, defender Tommy Elphick deflecting Lappin's deep and dangerous free-kick from the right past his own keeper on 68 minutes as bodies tumbled in the area trying to read the path of the ball.

Martin got in on the act eight minutes from time, firing home from the edge of the area to make it 4-1.

Norwich City: Forster, Otsemobor, Doherty, Askou, Drury, Smith, Russell, Lappin, Hoolahan, Martin, Holt.

Subs: Theoklitos, Nelson, McVeigh, Hughes (for Smith, 71), Adeyemi (for Russell, 86), McDonald (for Holt, 83), Dawkin.

Goals: Holt (3), Hoolahan (22), Elphick (og, 68), Martin (82)

Bookings: Doherty (foul on Murray, 17), Russell (fighting, 30)

Brighton: Smith, Whing, Tunnicliffe, Elphick, El-Abd, Bennett, Dicker, Crofts, Cox, Dickinson, Murray.

Subs: Pelling, Hoyet (for Whing, 86), Navarro, Hart, Mcleod (for Cox, 45), Davies (for Murray, 84), Virgo.

Goals: Tunnicliffe 61

Bookings: Cox (fighting, 30), Crofts (fighting, 30), Murray (foul on Doherty, 58), El Abd (dissent, 88)

Attendance: 24,617

Referee: Keith Hill (Herts)

EDP Man of the match: Gary Doherty.

Time added on: 4 mins/3 mins

Statistics

Shots on: City 9, Brighton 1

Shots off: City 5, Brighton 2

Fouls: City 10, Brighton 11

Corners: City 9, Brighton 6

Offsides: City 0, Brighton 1