CHRIS LAKEY King's Lynn 0, Norwich City 4Canaries boss Peter Grant is close to signing a replacement for departed midfielder Dickson Etuhu.Grant confirmed last night that he was in advanced talks with a Premiership player and could be in a position to wrap up a short term loan deal as early as today to enable the player to join City for their tour of Holland which begins on Saturday.

CHRIS LAKEY

King's Lynn 0, Norwich City 4

Canaries boss Peter Grant is close to signing a replacement for departed midfielder Dickson Etuhu.

Grant confirmed last night that he was in advanced talks with a Premiership player and could be in a position to wrap up a short term loan deal as early as today to enable the player to join City for their tour of Holland which begins on Saturday.

“I would like to make it a season long loan but I know his club rate him and fancy him so it could be over a short period,” said Grant.

However, Grant said the player was not West Ham's Lee Bowyer, who was linked with City in some newspapers yesterday.

“I have not spoken to him,” said Grant. “I like Lee as a footballer, he has top quality. People often say he has baggage, but all the time he was at West Ham we didn't have one bad moment with him.”

Grant saw his side take their goal tally to 16 in consecutive nights at The Walks, with Jamie Cureton getting off the mark for the club with a late brace, including a penalty.

“I am very pleased. Some of the guys have got another 90 minutes and I think that it's important for them,” said Grant.

“Yet again the attitude was terrific and there were a lot of pleasing things in the game. We had some youngsters on again so that was important.”

There was a minor injury scare with new boy Julien Brellier failing to appear for the second half after picking up a knock, but Grant said it was a purely precautionary measure.

“He got caught with one right at the top of his thigh so I won't take any chances with that,” said Grant.

“We were in two minds whether to play him or not because we have been working him really, really hard, but we feel it was important to give him a feel of a game.”

City's first goal came after just four minutes with captain Adam Drury finding the bottom corner with a terrific shot from 25 yards.

Cureton tested Lynn keeper Paul Crichton on ten minutes with a good turn and shot but found himself frustrated in front of goal until the latter stages.

Norwich had the bulk of possession before the interval although before the late flurry of goals the Linnets were holding their own against their superior opponents.

David Strihavka had the ball in the net on 78 minutes but was pulled up for a foul. But the Czech won a penalty six minutes later when he was up-ended by Mark Warren and Cureton duly despatched the spot kick.

The summer signing then profited from Bally Smart's neat cross on 87 minutes to make it three nil before sub Damon Lathrope lapped it all up with a goal two minutes from time.

King's Lynn: Crichton (Hilton 59), West (C Defty 78), Chapman, Warren, Camm, Tidy (Francis 68), O'Halloran (Frew 51), Ridgeway, Turner (Heath-Preston 65), Bloomfield (J Defty 56), Melton (Harvey 84).

Norwich: Gallacher (Lewis 45), Cave-Brown (Kelly 78), Drury, Shackell, Doherty, Brellier (Rossi Jarvis 45), Croft (Smart 74), Fotheringham, Strihavka, Cureton, Ryan Jarvis (Lathrope 74). Subs not used: Renton, Halliday. Goals: (4) Drury, Cureton 84, 87, Lathrope 88.

Referee: M George

Attendance: 1,366