Qualification for the Premier League Cup knockout stages was sealed in style by Norwich City Under-23s at Colney.

Three goals inside 11 minutes at the start of the second half saw the young Canaries ensure a place in the last 16 of the competition, with playmaker Todd Cantwell helping himself to a hat-trick.

It was the visitors who had started the stronger, with a young City side just about surviving a succession of corners and keeper Aston Oxborough holding a low shot from Wolves striker Duckens Nazon in the 28th minute.

With temperatures plummeting under dark skies, the away side looked nailed on to take the lead and wanted a penalty in the 31st minute, only for left-back Anthony Breslin to be booked for diving when challenged by Louis Ramsay.

Norwich kept battling and survived midfielder Christian Herc hitting the base of the post with a deflected shot in the 42nd minute, as well as Nazon lashing into the side-netting from the resulting corner.

The hosts then scored against the run of play though, when Wolves right-back Aaron Simpson made a hash of clearing Diallang Jaiyesimi's cross from the right, allowing Cantwell to fire low from 12 yards for 1-0.

As bright sunshine arrived at half-time, City burst into life after the break, Ebou Adams rising high to head home a Cantwell corner in the 48th minute and, less than three minutes later, Oxborough's long kick was misjudged by the visiting defenders and Cantwell wandered through to lob the keeper.

Donovan Wilson missed a golden chance to make it 3-1 for Wolves in the 55th minute and instead saw Jaiyesimi nod home from a Louis McIntosh cross from the left three minutes later for 4-0.

Cantwell completed his hat-trick in the 74th minute, pouncing on more loose passing to fire a low shot into the bottom-left corner from 15 yards, to make it 5-0.

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City find out if they win Group D on Monday when Portsmouth host Everton but are assured of their place in the last 16.

Norwich U23s: Oxborough; Ramsay (C), Efete, Odusina (Wallis 79), Lewis; Crowe, Adams; Jaiyesimi, McIntosh (Sambu 66), Cantwell (Hlynsson 80); Ashley-Seal. Subs: Hallett (GK), Syme.

Wolves U23s: Ruddy; Simpson, Upton (John 56), Johnson (C), Breslin; McKenna, Herc; Armstrong, Wilson, Carnat (Delacoe 62); Nazon (Levingston 54). Subs: Sanderson, Collins.