Lowestoft 0 Norwich City U23s 3 – Young talents shine for Canaries

David Freezer

Published: 10:15 PM September 5, 2017 Updated: 11:02 PM October 10, 2020

Adam Phillips fires Norwich City U23s 2-0 up at Lowestoft. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

Some of Norwich City’s young talent strutted their stuff in a friendly against Lowestoft tonight.

Lowestoft Town v Norwich City Under-23s at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

The match had been advertised as being against a ‘Norwich City XI’, suggesting that some fringe first-team players would be involved, but it was very much an U23s squad featuring for City.

While that may have left some of the fans who had paid £8 to get in annoyed, it did at least offer Canaries fans the chance to see four new signings for the development squad, midfielders Adam Phillips and Savvas Mourgos, formerly of Liverpool and Arsenal respectively, as well as strikers Pierre Fonkeu and Tristan Abrahams.

It was the hosts that started the better, defender Travis Cole heading over a corner in the 12th minute and winger Josh Greenleaf hitting a snap-shot onto the roof of Aston Oxborough’s net a minute later.

The young Canaries hit their stride but found Blues keeper Elvjis Putnins in fine form, saving from his foot to deny the lively Kieron Higgs in the 21st minute.

Lowestoft Town v Norwich City Under-23s at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft - Owen Wallis wins a header. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

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Right-back Max Aarons lashed a rising shot just over the bar from 15 yards five minutes later and Putnins made a fine save in the 28th minute, tipping over a powerful shot from Phillips from 20 yards.

Higgs was again denied by the keeper after a fine through-ball from Phillips in the 36th minute but there was a scare for Norwich as half-time closed in, Trawlerboys striker Jake Reed lashing a shot against the bar, only to be flagged offside.

However, City got the lead they deserved in the 44th minute, Mourgos being afforded space 25 yards from goal and the Greek youngster curling a fine shot towards the top-left corner for 1-0.

Phillips got in on the act to make sure of the win in the 64th minute, lashing a low shot into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the box, and left-back Devonte Aransibia put the icing on the cake with a low finish from the left of the six-yard box.

Lowestoft Town v Norwich City Under-23s at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft - Tristan Abrahams. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

Lowestoft: Putnins; Cole, Westlake, McAuley, Humphrey; Greenleaf, Jarvis (C), Zielonka (White 46), Nyadzayo; Reed (Miles 46), Daniels (Borrer 72). Subs: Dudzinski (GK)

Norwich U23s: Oxborough (Hallett 46), Aarons, Wallis, Odusina (C), Aransibia; Sambu, Phillips (Kamal 71), Mourgos, Higgs (Spyrou 71); Fonkeu, Abrahams (Cantwell 46)

Attendance: 327

Lowestoft Town v Norwich City Under-23s at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

Lowestoft Town v Norwich City Under-23s at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft - Pierre Fonkeu is tackled. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

Lowestoft Town v Norwich City Under-23s at Crown Meadow, Lowestoft - City goal-scorer Savvas Mourgos. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass

Kieron Higgs was lively for Norwich in the first half at Lowestoft, twice being denied by keeper Elvjis Putnins. Picture: James Bass - Credit: James Bass