MATCH STATS NORWICH CITY: Gallacher, Colin, Doherty, Shackell, Drury, Etuhu, Safri, Robinson, Huckerby, Croft, Earnshaw. Subs: McVeigh (for Croft, 69), McKenzie (for Robinson, 74), Fleming (for Shackell, 85), Lewis, Hughes. BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Reid, Kay, Williams, Devaney, Togwell, Howard, McIndoe, Hayes, Richards. Subs: Tonge (for Williams, 61), Wright (for Richards, 53), Healy (for Devaney, 72), Mannone, Atkinson. SCORERS: Norwich: Earnshaw (pen, 13, 69), Robinson (27), Croft (57), Huckerby (64) Barnsley: Hayes (38) TOP CANARY: Pink 'Un: Darren Huckerby Pink 'Un Poll: Huckerby (76%) ATTENDANCE: 24,876 REFEREE: Iain Williamson (Berkshire) ADDED TIME: First half: 2 mins Second half: 3 mins YELLOW CARDS: None RED CARDS: Barnsley: Kay (tackle on Earnshaw, 12) SHOTS ON TARGET: Norwich 13, Barnsley 6 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Norwich 7, Barnsley 5 CORNERS: Norwich 6, Barnsley 10 FOULS:  Norwich 11, Barnsley 9 OFFSIDES:  Norwich 1, Barnsley 2

Saturday August 26, 2006
JONATHAN REDHEAD

Norwich City put down a marker to the rest of the Coca-Cola Championship as they tore ten-man Barnsley to shreds at Carrow Road.

The visitors were in trouble the moment centre-back Antony Kay was sent off after just 13 minutes. Robert Earnshaw scored the resulting penalty, and City turned on the style with further strikes from Carl Robinson, Lee Croft, Darren Huckerby, and another from Earnshaw.

Former-City striker Paul Hayes threatened to upset the home side when he pulled a goal back towards the end of the first half. But in reality the result was never in doubt as City turned in their best performance of the season.

Norwich City were able to name an unchanged starting 11 for the fifth consecutive league game. The only alteration from the 0-0 draw against Derby last week came on the substitute’s bench where Leon McKenzie returned at the expense of Ryan Jarvis.

Meanwhile Barnsley boss Andy Ritchie was also able to name the same side that started the 2-2 draw with Southampton last Saturday. Former City youngster Paul Hayes returned to Norfolk, but ex-Canary left-back Paul Heckingbottom missed out through injury.

City kicked off, and immediately broke through the Barnsley defence, with Robert Earnshaw running clear on the left edge of the visitors’ box. But his side-foot shot was saved easily by Nick Colgan inside ten seconds.

Barnsley’s first attack in the second minute saw Martin Devaney cross from the right to find Mark Richards, whose header was saved by Paul Gallacher.

The opening goal is moments away as Robert Earnshaw is sent crashing by Antony Kay.

City’s first attacking free-kick came in the fifth minute, but from Darren Huckerby’s delivery on the left Gary Doherty was penalised for pushing inside the six-yard box.

In an entertaining start, Huckerby broke clear down the left and beat two men, before squaring the ball to Lee Croft. His touchback was for Carl Robinson, whose shot was blocked for a corner. Colgan claimed the flag-kick and the visitors broke clear. Jason Shackell managed to put the ball out, but from the resulting throw Michael McIndoe volleyed just wide.

In the 13th minute Huckerby put Earnshaw clean through, and the striker was brought crashing down inside the penalty area by big centre-back Antony Kay. Referee Ian Williamson decided the challenge was worthy of a red card, and also awarded City a penalty kick. And from the spot, Earnshaw made it seven goals in seven home games when he comfortably beat Colgan to his right.

Against ten men City looked to turn the screw, and Earnshaw ran clear from a Robinson pass, but fired over from the edge of the box.

Robert Earnshaw converts his penalty to give the Canaries the lead and to set a record of scoring seven consecutive goals at Carrow Road.

City were now threatening to run riot, and Huckerby went on a mazy run after 17 minutes, before shooting hard and low from 25 yards. The shot was parried by Colgan and Dickson Etuhu volleyed the rebound at the keeper.

Two minutes later Barnsley attempted to bounce back and won their first corner as Doherty cleared, but it came to nothing.

The visitors then made a tactical switch with Bobby Hassell slipping in at centre-back with Sam Togwell at right-back, and Richards on his own up front.

After a period of consolidation by Barnsley, City struck their second goal totally out of the blue. Robinson picked the ball up 22 yards from goal and, as the ball sat up, he crashed a low volley past Colgan’s right hand and off the inside of the post. It was the first goal for the club, and City looked in total command after 26 minutes.

Robert Earnshaw somersaults in front of a packed stand after scoring in his seventh consecutive match at Carrow Road.

But sloppy play two minutes later by Jason Shackell allowed McIndoe a shot from the edge of the box, which was blocked by Jurgen Colin for a corner. From the flag-kick there was a suspicion of handball against City, but they managed to clear.

Going forward it was now Champagne football from City, and Huckerby beat three men before his run was mysteriously ended by the referee, who gave a foul against the flying winger.

But the Tykes continued to push forward and two minutes later a Howard shot was deflected narrowly over for a corner. The same player then fired miles over from the edge of the box after the resulting corner was partially cleared.

In a tremendous game Croft broke on the right, and his run was halted on the edge of the Barnsley box only for Earnshaw to fire over from 18 yards.

Carl Robinson celebrates his first goal in yellow and green.

Just as chants of "Ole" started to ring around Carrow Road, Barnsley pulled a goal back after 38 minutes. Richards knocked Shackell fairly off the ball and as he got to the byline he pulled the ball back for Paul Hayes. The former Canary striker hit a low left-footed shot from the corner of the box, and it was deflected past Gallacher by first the outstretched boot of Shackell and then the head of Etuhu.

The goal was a shock for City, but they immediately tried to rouse themselves again.

Two minutes before the break, Croft went on a lung-bursting run down the right, to stretch and win City a corner, but Huckerby’s kick was disappointing.

Safri then beat three men on the edge of the box, but has he tried to feed Etuhu with a neat ball, Barnsley cleared.

Half-time: Norwich City 2, Barnsley 1

Barnsley won the first corner of the second half, as Drury blocked Devaney’s cross, but Etuhu headed it clear.

As Barnsley pressed, City broke clear on 48 minutes as Huckerby picked up Safri’s lofted pass. He beat Hassell inside the box, but his pullback was desperately cleared for a corner by Paul Reid. However, Huckerby’s delivery was poor again and the visitors cleared.

Colgan was forced into his first save of the half as he gathered Huckerby’s low cross after 49 minutes.

Lee Croft celebrates his second goal for his new club and Norwich City's third of the afternoon.

He was in action again a minute later making a fine save with his legs from Etuhu’s low shot as the tall midfielder got on the end of Huckerby’s low pass.

The ten men continued to press for an equaliser, but Richards’ header from a corner was easily saved by Gallacher.

It was end-to-end stuff, and on 53 minutes Croft ran clear on the right and turned inside the box, but his left-foot curler was inches wide.

Earnshaw had a golden opportunity to put the game beyond Barnsley on 55 minutes when Safri put him clean through. But the Welshman dallied and a combination of Reid and Colgan got the ball clear.

Just two minutes later the game looked beyond the visitors as the excellent Huckerby twisted and turned the Barnsley defence again, and his low cross was stroked home by the unmarked Croft at the far post to make 3-1.

After 58 minutes City nearly made it four as Huckerby fed Drury with a quick free-kick, and the fullback’s shot was cleared off the line by Robbie Williams.

Barnsley made their first substitution on 61 minutes when Dale Tonge came on for Williams.

Darren Huckerby celebrates his goal with his team-mates after giving a breathtaking man-of the-match performance against Barnsley.

On 64 minutes Huckerby finally got the goal his superb performance deserved as he cut in from the left, and his fierce shot from the angle of the box took a slight deflection off Hassell, past the despairing Colgan, and into the far corner.

Barnsley boss Ritchie responded by withdrawing Richards for Tommy Wright.

Midway through the half City made it a nap hand as Huckerby crossed from the left, and Earnshaw headed home his second from the six-yard line to make it three goals in 11 minutes.

Paul McVeigh then came on for the tiring Croft, and the substitute almost scored immediately, but he screwed his left-foot shot from a Huckerby cross a couple of yards wide.

Devaney came off for Colin Healey on 72 minutes as Barnsley made their final change.

Two minutes later City’s want-away striker Leon McKenzie came on for Robinson to loud applause.

Robert Earnshaw celebrates his second goal of the afternoon.

The Barclay End crowd started to go through their full repertoire of songs as Barnsley started to tire.

But after 77 minutes Tommy Wright did head well over the City crossbar from a Tonge cross.

McKenzie’s first meaningful contribution came after 81 minutes, his low cross was deflected for a corner. From the kick, Etuhu somehow managed to head wide from inside the six-yard box.

After being a spectator for most of the half, Gallacher pulled off a fine save after 84 minutes. The Scottish stopper plunged to his right to tip away Howard’s 30-yard free-kick for a corner, which was wasted.

Worthington made City’s final change after 85 minutes as Craig Fleming came on for Shackell.

The game petered out as City were happy to keep the ball and record a crashing victory.

Result: Norwich City 5, Barnsley 1