Paddy Davitt Norwich City skipper Gary Doherty admitted the Canaries' Colchester rout has turned the club into a 'laughing stock'. Doherty pulled no punches ahead of City's difficult Carling Cup first round trip to Yeovil tonight after captaining the side to a club record home defeat against their East Anglian rivals.

Paddy Davitt

Norwich City skipper Gary Doherty admitted the Canaries' Colchester rout has turned the club into a 'laughing stock'.

Doherty pulled no punches ahead of City's difficult Carling Cup first round trip to Yeovil tonight after captaining the side to a club record home defeat against their East Anglian rivals.

"At the minute we are the laughing stock of all football I reckon, certainly football in England," said the Irish defender. "That is something we have to put right and show a lot of character. I think Saturday rates as probably the worst I've felt at the club and speaking to the lads it's the same for them.

"To be involved in one of the record defeats with obviously all the optimism that was around pre-season and how we were going to start. Everyone was really looking forward to it and that has put a downer on things.

"We just have to be resilient. We have three away games now - one cup game - and hopefully the next time we come back to Carrow Road we have some league points on the board."

Doherty was the focal point of a new-look defence breached five times in a kamikaze opening 38 minutes that completely punctured the close-season feel-good factor around the club following Championship relegation.

"I think if we have a few more hiccups away from home in these next few games then maybe the confidence will take a big hit," he said.

"We have to hope it's a freak result. It was a crazy game. The ball was flying in left, right and centre and you're thinking what can you do to stop this. We just have to work hard on the training ground.

"We've watched it a few times and analysed to see where we went wrong and hopefully we can put it right.

"There were a few home truths said and you have to get things out in the open to let people know what they have done wrong. Then you have to try and put it to the back of your mind because we've got a cup game and two tough league games against sides that have come up from League Two."

Doherty admitted tonight's tie at Yeovil is now a pivotal game in the club's season after Saturday's Colchester no show.

"Of course, after what happened this game takes on even more significance," he said. "It was always going to be important but we'd liked to have won Saturday and maybe given the gaffer a chance to rest a few - maybe the forward players to keep them fresh. Now it's a must win."

"We have to start well against Yeovil and we can't be letting goals in after 10, 15 minutes as was the case Saturday. After one goal you can't crumble like we did.

"That is something we have to put right and get back to basics when it comes to defending - being strong with a good work rate. It'll be good to get away and stay down there with everybody together for four of five days so we can talk through what went wrong and try to put it right."