Michael Bailey Chris Martin's brace earned Norwich City a heartening 2-1 win over Premier League Newcastle United at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon.The striker had given City a first half lead, applying the finishing touch to some Wes Hoolahan magic on 37 minutes - tapping home unmarked from two yards following a run from Hoolahan that had James Tavernier and Fabricio Coloccini tied in knots.

Michael Bailey

Chris Martin's brace earned Norwich City a heartening 2-1 win over Premier League Newcastle United at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon.

The striker had given City a first half lead, applying the finishing touch to some Wes Hoolahan magic on 37 minutes. He tapped home unmarked from two yards following a run from Hoolahan that had James Tavernier and Fabricio Coloccini tied in knots. The Canaries' opener also owed something to Ryan Taylor's woeful pass into no man's land.

Paul Lambert's side were once again without Zak Whitbread and captain Grant Holt, while Korey Smith, Stephen Hughes, Jens Berthel Askou and Stephen Smith also missed out.

But a still relatively strong Norwich outfit played some flowing football in the opening period against an equally equipped Magpies side that featured Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan, Shola Ameobi and Peter Lovenkrands either side of the break.

Nile Ranger had a first-half strike ruled out for offside, but United boss Chris Hughton's seven changes at the interval had the desired effect within two minutes of the restart - Xisco and Ameobi linking well for the latter to turn Elliott Ward and nutmeg goalkeeper John Ruddy.

Both sides continued to create chances, with Simeon Jackson seeing his strike chalked off for an earlier offside against Michael Nelson, while Ruddy did well to save at the feet of Ameobi soon after Tim Krul's double save denied Martin and Andrew Surman's follow-up.

A winner eventually came, Anthony McNamee's quality delivery flicked home by Martin who rose highest to leave Krul scrambling on 75 minutes.

There was still time for Krul to deny Matt Gill after another smoothly crafted City counter attack, while Lovenkrands' header struck the face of the bar from Joan Edmundsson's cross with Ruddy watching on.

One much anticipated St James' Park star who did not feature was goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who performed so many heroics for City in League One last season. A minor injury suffered in training during the week left him back home in Newcastle and without the chance of one more Carrow Road hurrah.

t Norwich (4-3-1-2): Ruddy; R Martin, Nelson, Ward (Francomb 63), Drury; Crofts, Fox (Gill 78), Surman (Lappin 78); Hoolahan (McNamee 72); Jackson (Johnson 63), C Martin. Subs not used: Steer, McNamee, Dawkin, Tudur Jones. Goal: C Martin 38, 75

t Newcastle (4-4-2): Krul; Taylor (Routledge 45), Tavernier, Coloccini (Williamson 45), Diaz (Ferguson 57); Ranger (Xisco 45), Barton (Smith 45), Nolan (Guthrie 45), Vuckic (Edmundsson 72); Best (Lovenkrands 45), Carroll (Ameobi 45). Subs not used: Alnwick, Henderson. Goal: Ameobi 47

t Referee: Fred Graham (Essex)

t Attendance: 13,195