Norwich City striker Chris Martin is hoping his football will do the talking as he looks to earn his second professional contract. It is three years since the Academy product burst onto the scene with four goals from his first five starts, an impression which earned him a lengthy first deal.

Norwich City striker Chris Martin is hoping his football will do the talking as he looks to earn his second professional contract.

It is three years since the Academy product burst onto the scene with four goals from his first five starts, an impression which earned him a lengthy first deal. Since then it has been a mixture of highs and lows for the 21-year-old, but after hitting goal number 10 for the season in the 4-1 midweek home win over Brighton, Martin admitted securing his Canaries future is spurring him on.

He said: “Obviously that side of things is always in the back of your head. Hopefully that will sort itself out all in good time. I've just got my head down this season and concentrated on playing football, and I'm reaping the rewards at the moment because I am in the team, and long may it continue.”

Martin and Wes Hoolahan joined leading scorer Grant Holt on double figures for the season after Tuesday's win and he says all three owe their team-mates a share of the glory.

“We've all worked hard, all three of us, and I think we have to pay tribute to the way the lads have played behind us as well, to get us the ball and put us in the position to win the games and score the goals,” said Martin. “We're just there on the end of it putting the goals in and it's all coming together very well. It's a good return from us three, but we don't want to rest on our laurels.”

The City forward admitted he has set himself a personal goal-target for the season, after he hit City's fourth against the Seagulls with a low drive.

“It's not the best one I've ever hit and luckily it just crept inside the corner,” said Martin. “The game was already won at that point but it's nice to get on the scoresheet again.

“Yes, I have got something in my head. You perhaps aim for 20 goals, which is a good return. You don't want to speak to soon - well, I already have - but I'll just keep working hard and see where it takes me. There's a lot of games to go and hopefully a lot more chances that will come my way.”

The only potentially negative point from Tuesday's win, which took the Canaries up to fourth in League One, was a 21-man brawl after Dean Cox and Darel Russell clashed.

Martin said: “I think it looked a lot worse than it was because lads were trying to run in and split it up. You don't want it overflowing and I think that's what most of the lads tried to do, just get people away and not let it boil over. Hopefully it doesn't take away from the performance we put in, which was a very good one. I think it was gritty and determined and we played some nice stuff.

“We've got very good team spirit. The dressing room is a great place to be at the minute. I suppose it always is going to be when we're winning games in the way that we are, but it shows our spirit and togetherness to stick up for each other and not get bullied. And we certainly didn't get bullied and showed our fighting spirit.”