CARLING CUP: Norwich City's Carling Cup interest came to an abrupt end when they were outgunned by Premier League side Sunderland in tonight's second round tie at Carrow Road.

More than 24 years after beating the North East club in the final of the same competition at Wembley, the Canaries, now two divisions below their opponents, were undone by three goals in the space of 10 first-half minutes, one from Teemu Tainio and two from Andy Reid.

Wes Hoolahan reduced the arrears after the break but an Owain Tudur Jones own goal sealed City's fate.

There was drama seven minutes from time when Michael Spillane was sent off for a foul on Fraizer Campbell, who, in the same incident, collided with City keeper Ben Alnwick, forcing him to leave the field with a nasty facial injury.

Striker Cody McDonald finished the match in goal because City had used all three substitutes.

A City side showing six more changes after the 5-2 win over Wycombe was ruthlessly exposed by the Premier League side in the first half, with all three goals coming from midfielders.

Yet the Canaries certainly had their moments in a lively first half with Simon Whaley, Simon Lappin and Tudur Jones all bringing goalkeeper Craig Gordon into action.

City began purposefully and had penalty appeals waved away after five minutes when Nosworthy appeared to shove Daley to the ground in the area.

Otsemobor conceded the first corner after 10 minutes, but Da Silva headed wide from Reid's flag-kick.

Sunderland came desperately close to taking the lead in the 14th minute when Henderson's cross was met with a stunning scissor-kick volley by Campbell that Alnwick managed to touch on to the bar.

But a minute later Whaley missed a golden chance to put City ahead when, clean through, he shot straight at goalkeeper Gordon.

City regained the ascendancy and, in the 18th minute, Lappin let fly with a powerful left-foot shot from 25 yards that Gordon tipped over the top.

Jones was badly off target at the other end when Leadbitter's cross presented him with a free header.

Sunderland took the lead in the 26th minute when Jones smartly away from Doherty on the right and his low cross was tucked away by Tainio.

Four minutes later, Reid made it 2-0 when he moved on to a pass by Jones and beat Alnwick with a delightful left-foot chip.

It was 3-0 after 36 minutes when Henderson and Campbell combined to present Reid with a straightforward chance to score his second.

A fine crossfield ball by Lappin set up Holt for a long-range effort three minutes before the break, but the striker was well off target.

Tudur Jones was unlucky not to pull a goal back two minutes later when his shot was blocked by the feet of Gordon.

HALF-TIME: Norwich City 0, Sunderland 3

City kept plugging away after the break and Holt's powerful shot deflected wide off Da Silva.

Lambert made a double change on the hour when Martin and McDonald replaced Holt and Whaley.

City pulled a goal back after 63 minutes through Hoolahan. Otsemobor crossed from the right, McDonald jumped well to send a header against the post and the rebound fell for Hoolahan to knock home.

The substitutes were quickly involved and Martin was close to cutting the gap further two minutes later when he just failed to tuck away a cross from Lappin.

Sunderland restored their three-goal advantage after 67 minutes but in rather fortuitous fashion when Reid's inswinging corner clipped Tudur Jones' left leg and spun into the net for an own goal.

Spillane was shown the red card seven minutes from time after a shove on Campbell on the edge of the Norwich area that ended with the striker crashing into keeper Alnwick, who had to leave the field with a bloodied face. Striker McDonald grabbed the goalkeeper's jersey as City were reduced to nine men.

After treatment, Campbell was replaced by Malbranque.

The wall protected McDonald from the resulting free-kick by Reid, but Edwards went closer moments later with a ferocious effort that rattled the crossbar.

RESULT: Norwich City 1, Sunderland 4

Norwich City: Alnwick; Otsemobor, Spillane, Doherty, Lappin; Whaley (McDonald, 61), Adeyemi (Smith, 75), Tudur Jones, Hoolahan; Daley, Holt (Martin, 61). Subs (not used): Rudd, Nelson, Hughes, McVeigh.

Sunderland: Gordon; Edwards, Nosworthy, Da Silva, McCartney; Henderson, Tainio (Healy, 74), Leadbitter, Reid; Jones (Murphy, 45), Campbell (Malbranque, 86). Subs (not used): Carson, Bardsley, Ferdinand, O'Donovan.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)

Attendance: 12,345

Goals: City: Hoolahan (63). Sunderland: Tainio (26), Reid (30, 36), Tudur Jones (og, 67).

Red card: Norwich: Spillane (83)

Booking: Sunderland: Reid (90)