Matt Gill’s development squad picked up their second Premier League Two home win of the season in impressive style against the Saints U23s on Friday night at Carrow Road.


Northern Ireland international Michael McGovern was part of an experienced backline featuring Russell Martin, who again turned out for Gill’s squad as an over-age outfield player as he builds up his fitness after a spell out of the first team picture.

Aaron O’Driscoll and then Florian Gardos turned Glenn Middleton crosses into the visitors’ own net before Louis McIntosh thumped home a 20-yard free kick in the second half to extend City’s unbeaten league run to six games.

“I’m really pleased for the lads, first and foremost,” Gill told the club’s official site. “They’ve worked really hard in the past few weeks and probably haven’t got what they deserved.

“We were very professional in our approach tonight. We were progressive and showed some real quality. We had some really good play. We’ve been working on some attacking stuff previously, wanting people to arrive in between the goalposts at the right time.

“That’s not luck tonight. Tristan put pressure on the defenders and Glenn’s deliveries were exceptional. Our all-round game was really pleasing tonight.”

McGovern and Martin replaced Aston Oxborough and Grant Hanley respectively from last weekend’s league draw against West Brom with Devonte Aransibia coming in for Emmersson Sambu in midfield.

The luckless O’Driscoll diverted Middleton’s cross past Jack Rose from Todd Cantwell’s initial pass. Tristan Abrahams was then denied by a goalline clearance from O’Driscoll before Marcus Barnes headed wide from Harlem Hale’s cross, with McGovern beaten.

It proved a costly miss when Gardos sliced Middleton’s cross into his own net to put Norwich in control prior to the interval.

City sealed the points when substitute McIntosh bent a free kick into the top corner, before McGovern dealt with two Dan N’Lundulu headers in the closing stages.

• Norwich City U23s: McGovern, Arrons, Kamal, Odusina, Martin, Phillips (Sambu 81), Morgos (Fonkeu 55), Aransibia, Abrahams, Cantwell (McIntosh 59), Middleton. Subs (not used): Wallis, Hallett.

• Booking: Phillips

• Goals: O’Driscoll (og), Gardos (og), McIntosh

• Southampton U23s: Rose, Little, Wood, Jones, Gardos, O’Driscoll, Hale (N’Lundulu 45), O’Connor, Barnes (Vokins 67), Slattery, Johnson. Subs (not used): Cook, Parkes, Rowthorn.

• Bookings: Little, Slattery