THE SKY Blues came up against a few familiar faces in their penultimate pre-season friendly match as Tony Mowbray’s side lost 3-0 away at a full strength Norwich City side.
Republic of Ireland star Wes Hoolahan gave Norwich a first half lead on Tuesday before Josh Murphy and brother Jacob, who spent all of last season on loan with the Sky Blues, wrapped up a comfortable win.
Sky Blues Academy star James Maddison also came on for his first appearance at Carrow Road and he made an impression by setting up the third and final goal of the game.
Mowbray fielded a young Sky Blues side which included Cian Harris, Darragh Leahy, Kyle Spence and Dion Kelly-Evans, but it was a moment of magic from Hoolahan which proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The Irish midfielder beat Reice Charles-Cook with a superb 20-yard effort with ten minutes gone but City did have their chances to pull level with Marvin Sordell and George Thomas coming close.
The best chance of the half for the visitors came through Vladimir Gadzhev who unleashed a curling free kick from 22 yards out which looked to be heading into the back of the net but he was unfortunate to see his shot come back off the crossbar.
Maddison and the Murphy brothers were intoduced after the break and all three made an impact.
Jordan Willis headed over for the Sky Blues from a corner shortly after the interval and Gadzhev hit an effort wide of goal on the hour mark but with 66 minutes played Norwich doubled their lead when Josh Murphy beat Charles-Cook with a curling finish.
And four minutes from time former City loan star Jacob Murphy scored a third and final goal for Norwich as Mowbray’s side fell to 3-0 defeat at Carrow Road.
Attendance: 7,602
Team: Charles-Cook (GK), Willis (C) (Stevenson 65), Harries, Leahy, Gadzhev, Rose, Haynes, Di.Kelly-Evans, Sordell (Maycock 78), Spence (Trialist 51), Thomas (Dev Kelly-Evans 65’).
Subs: Scuza (GK), Shipley, Whitmore, Thompson.
