City midfielder Tom Adeyemi was withdrawn early as a precaution after picking up a knock in tonight's defeat at the Blue Square North side.

The 19-year-old took a blow just above the right ankle in the first half at the Glass World Stadium that required strapping. Adeyemi briefly returned to the fray before being replaced just after the half hour mark of another competitive outing for Ricky Martin's young side.

City's academy chief is confident the cultured midfielder will be available when the club's senior stars return from Germany this weekend for the next stage of pre-season.

'Tom is fine,' said Martin. 'He just took a whack and it wasn't worth risking it. I think he could have carried on but he just said he could feel it. You don't get any medals for winning pre-season games. It's about him getting himself fit for when the first team return from Germany. It was around the ankle, bottom of the shin area – just a contact. We're hoping that with no activity over the weekend by the time he comes back in Monday after recovery time I would expect him to be back in training – if not Monday, then the following day. With the games and the schedule the first team have next week, the manager will probably need him.'

Martin's charges were given a solid work out against last season's relegated Blue Square Premier side who struck in either half through Sam Cochran and Dan Holman.

'I thought it was an excellent game for us. A really close game,' he said. 'The second goal was a mistake from us but we both had chances and there was some really good performances from our lads.

'We knew when we put the fixtures together this would be a lot tougher after Wroxham but it has been a great week. You look at someone like out left back (Harry Toffolo) and I thought he was outstanding in both games. He is so young as well, it's frightening. Some of them will be involved in a tournament this week so by the end of it I'll have seen four or five days of proper, competitive football. I know when I walk in next Monday that all my players will be better technically and tactically.'

England youth international goal keeper Jed Steer was not involved last night but Remi Matthews impressed as the last line of defence.

'It was just a rotation thing after Jed played earlier in the week,' said Martin. 'I thought Remi was outstanding and that is the problem when you are playing behind two England youth keepers with Jed and Declan (Rudd). He can sometimes live in their shadow but he knew he was coming here to play 90 minutes. I thought he stepped up to the mark.'

• Histon (starting line up): Stadelmann, Salt, Hawkins, Cochran, Mills, Livermore, Campbell, Stevenson, Riza, Calvo, Sparkes. Subs: Day, Libertucci, Sessions, Cleaver, Clerima, Hjorth, Dowie, Taaffe, Holman, Kitscha, Bell, Santi, Asensi, McDonald.

• Goals: Cochran (35), Holman (73)

• Norwich City XI: Matthews, Florence, Toffolo, Kelly, Jones (McKenzie 65), Dearman, Adeyemi (Loza 33), Brindley (Hall-Johnson 82), Drmola (Peacock 78), Ball, Dawkin. Subs (not used): Clunan, Dobbs.

• Referee: M Wilson

• Attendance: 220