City's Academy side produced a performance well below par as they failed to get out of the starting blocks against Crystal Palace at Colney today as the Eagles ran out comfortable 4-0 victors.

City's Academy side produced a performance well below par as they failed to get out of the starting blocks against Crystal Palace at Colney today as the Eagles ran out comfortable 4-0 victors.

The Canaries found themselves under the cosh right from the off as the visitors stamped their authority on the game.

Defender Paul McLean came to City's rescue in the opening minutes when he was on hand to head the ball off the line before his central defensive partner Alvin Quaye had to make an important tackle as City struggled to get the ball out of their own half.

For Palace, left winger James Dayton was causing City all sorts of problems first hitting the side netting with a rising shot and then he provided the cross for James Smith to beat City keeper Steve Arnold only for the crossbar to come to the Canaries rescue.

City failed to heed the warning because on 38 minutes Dayton again sent in a left wing cross and there was BEN KUJUDI on hand at the near post to flick the ball past Arnold.

City almost drew level from the restart after good work by Jamie Eames creating the opening for Kurtis Byrne to send in a curling shot that Martin Pearson saved away to his left.

It took Palace just 60 seconds of the second half to extend their lead when Dayton again produced the cross allowing Jereahl Hughes the simplest of tap-ins at the far post.

Eames tried his luck from 20 yards and it needed a spectacular one-handed save from Pearson to deny the City midfielder.

Arnold then needed two attempts to save from Kujudi while Pearson saved an effort from Seb Muddel.

With 70 minutes on the clock Palace put the game beyond City's reach when Arnold failed to hold a stinging shot from Dayton allowing substitute Sean Scannell to tap in the rebound.

Dayton rounded off a superb performance on 82 minutes when he was on hand at the far post to slot home a Palace corner.

t Norwich City: Arnold, Revell (Smart, 55), O'Toole, McLean, Quaye, Bexfield, Eames, Lathrope, Daley, Burn, Muddel (Renton, 80).

Subs used: Rudd.

t Crystal Palace: Person, Fish, Hills, Straker, Swaibu, Carolane, Hughes, Bostock, Kujudi (Robinson, 75), Smith (Scannell, 68), Dayton. Subs not used: Thorpe, Camara, Bingham.

Norwich City MoM: Patrick Bexfield.

t There was some good news from Colney today as Ian Thornton's U16 continued their current good run of results with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace with goals from Nick Davey and Manny Richardson.