Daniel Farke labelled Norwich City's defending 'slapstick' after slipping to a first pre-season defeat of the season in a 2-1 loss to FC Union Berlin on the club's German tour.

Jordan Rhodes opened his goal account but that was scant consolation after Kenny Prince Redondo had earlier cashed in on indecision in the Canaries' backline to loop a header over Remi Matthews.

Timm Klose's miscued header in the second half clipped the inside of a post to beat Matthews to cap a defensive shift Farke had not wished to dwell on.

'We can't be too disappointed.

'I think we faced one of the pre-season favourites for the Bundesliga 2 title,' he said. 'In most parts of the game we were on the front foot and there with a really solid game. It wasn't easy on a difficult pitch but I got the feeling we were pretty close to winning this game.

'We conceded two slapstick goals. I would prefer to do that in pre-season because normally you say you concede one of those a year so I can live that.

'It doesn't irritate me.

'It was obvious in the first 10 or 15 minutes they were better and then we started to control the game but in the 44th minute there is a long ball, a misunderstanding, and an easy goal for Union Berlin.

'I spoke with the lads at half-time and said this situation must not kill us, I want a response. We were on the front foot, it was like Paderborn all over again and then we concede a crazy own goal.

'I can't accuse Timm. It was a long throw and he heads the ball against the post and in. He doesn't ever remember scoring a goal like that ever in his career.'

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Farke was however clearly agitated by the referee who chalked off a goal for Ben Godfrey prior to the interval for apparent hand ball.

'I got the feeling in the whole of the first half they Berlin had two very experienced central midfielders with a decent reputation in Germany and they were chatting all the time to the referee and tried to impress him,' said Farke.

'I thought there was some dirty fouls. We have a set piece opportunity near half-time and the referee, who is perhaps 15 metres away and 20 players between him and the ball, decided it was a hand ball, even though the assistant, who is five metres, is happy to award the goal.

'None of the Berlin players had a problem either. Then experienced midfielder turns to him, says something, and it is not a goal.

'I was totally annoyed. It is not about results in pre-season.

'Although I couldn't change the situation I did tell him at half-time we won't accept these situations and the second half his performance was much better.'