Norwich City 5

Martin (9), Hoolahan (pen, 31), Holt (33 & 40), Cureton (90)

Bristol Rovers 1

Hughes (pen, 26)

Rovers slipped to a heavy defeat at Carrow Road this afternoon, beaten 5-1 by Norwich City.

After a promising start, Paul Trollope's side found themselves up against it in the opening period.

The home side recovered from a shaky start and took the lead after just nine minutes when Chris Martin beat Mikkel Andersen with a 25 yard free kick, awarded after Chris Lines had clipped the heels of Wes Hoolahan as he made a forward run.

Simon Lappin dragged a shot wide of the target and Andersen had to be alert to gather a whipped in cross from Martin as they stepped up a gear.

Jo Kuffour went close for Rovers on 24 minutes but saw goalkeeper Declan Rudd turn his shot round the post.

They were back on level terms two minutes later when Jeff Hughes converted a penalty after Kuffour had been brought down by Jens Berthel Askou who received a yellow card for his efforts.

That was as good as it got for Rovers, though, as the home side scored three times in a devastating nine minute spell to take a 4-1 lead into the break.

The second Norwich goal also came from the penalty spot. Byron Anthony was adjudged to have brought down Hoolahan and the midfielder got up to send Andersen the wrong way with his spot kick.

That was on 31 minutes and it took only another two minutes for the lead to be extended. This time it was Grant Holt taking advantage of some poor marking from a right wing corner to beat Andersen from close range.

Holt was on target again in the 40th minute, when he burst into the area, shrugged off a challenge from Anthony, and rifled a left foot shot beyond Andersen and into the far corner of the net.

Chris Dickson did hit a shot wide of the target in time added on, but after receiving the Manager of the Month Award for September, Paul Trollope will no doubt have been wondering if indeed there is a curse on the award!

The second period was a much more low key affair after the incident packed opening 45 minutes.

Dickson hit a shot wide after being played in by Aaron Lescott, but the home side also went close through Martin, who headed wide, and Lappin who fired wide of the target.

Carl Regan saw his shot turned round the post by goalkeeper Declan Rudd, and the keeper then made a comfortable save from Dickson.

Danny Coles fired a shot into the side netting as Rovers tried to pull a goal back, but they could have fallen further behind had Andersen not saved from Holt at the second attempt.

Substitute Stephen Hughes fired just wide of the target with nine minutes of the game remaining, but it was left to former Rovers striker Jamie Cureton to hammer the final nail in the coffin when he comfortably beat Andersen for goal number five after receiving a pass from the impressive Hoolahan.

Rovers: Mikkel Anderson, Carl Regan, Byron Anthony, Danny Coles, Aaron Lescott, Mark Wright (Andy Williams, 57) Chris Lines (Dominic Blizzard, 59), Stuart Campbell, Jeff Hughes, Chris Dickson (Darryl Duffy, 72), Jo Kuffour

Substitutes: Steve Elliott, Charlie Reece, Ben Swallow, Rhys Evans

Norwich City: Declan Rudd, Michael Spillane (Paul McVeigh, 51), Gary Doherty, Jens Bertel Askou, Adam Drury, Chris Martin, Korey Smith, Darel Russell (Stephen Hughes, 78), Simon Lappin, Wes Hoolahan, Grant Holt (Jamie Cureton, 82)

Substitutes: Tom Adeyemi, Fraser Forster, Luke Daley, Cody McDonald

 Booked: Askou, Lappin, Drury

Referee: Mr A Hall

Attendance: 24,117