Norwich City Reserves 3 Ipswich Town Reserves 1A BRACE from Norwich City striker Seb Muddel set the Canaries on the path to a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Ipswich Town reserves.

Norwich City Reserves 3 Ipswich Town Reserves 1

A BRACE from Norwich City striker Seb Muddel set the Canaries on the path to a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Ipswich Town reserves.

Muddel was the star of the show in front of a crowd of 2,224 and would have certainly impressed the watching Peter Grant as City saw off their East Anglian rivals with ease.

A wonderful Darren Currie free-kick for the visitors threatened to steal the show but Muddel's double and a Chris Casement own goal earned City the spoils over the league leaders.

The game started at a high tempo and Norwich seized the initiative in the fourth minute after Damon Lathrope's miscued shot fell into the path of the onrushing Muddel to stab the ball home.

Just eight minutes later the Tractor Boys were level when Currie curled home a free-kick from 25-yards giving goalkeeper Joe Lewis no chance.

Ipswich looked the better side with Billy Clarke and triallist Joe Francis looking particularly threatening on the counter attack.

Town almost took the lead midway through the half when Currie's corner was met by Liam Trooper, but his looping header bounced off the crossbar and away to safety.

Ipswich were passing the ball around well while Norwich were struggling to string two passes together but all that changed when Muddel made it 2-1 against the run of play.

Kris Renton flicked a long ball on to put Bally Smart through on goal and his chip over the keeper was finally bundled home by Muddel. Renton almost got on the scoresheet himself before half time but his snapshot went inches wide.

Muddel's goal appeared to deflate Ipswich who never again found any rhythm in their play despite a promising start.

Norwich got the two-goal cushion that their second half dominance deserved in the 68th minute with that man Muddel again at the heart of the action.

Andrew Cave-Brown, fresh from his loan spell with King's Lynn, flighted a good ball behind the Ipswich defence and Muddel was on to it in a flash.

The 18-year-old went past goalkeeper Shane Supple but looked to have taken the ball too wide although his shot across the face of the goal led to Casement putting through his own net.

Smart, whose electric pace caused problems all night, almost made it 4-1 late on with a fine weaving run but his effort was well-saved by Supple.

The teams

Norwich City: Lewis, Cave-Brown, O'Toole, Bexfield, Quaye, Spillane, Smart, Lathrope, Renton, Muddel (Byrne), Eagle. Subs not used: McLean, Arnold, Eames, Daley.

Ipswich Town: Supple, Castro, Robinson, Reason, Casement, Synnott, Currie, Trotter (Upson), O'Callaghan (Moore, Clarke, Francis (Rhodes). Subs not used: Fenn, Short.