THE Canaries paid the price for a woeful first half at Carrow Road as Blackpool came and condemned City to their first defeat at Carrow Road since November.
Goals from Stephen McPhee in the 15th and 40th minute were enough for the Seasiders, with Jamie Cureton's second half penalty not enough to prompt a comeback.
McPhee's second was tinged in controversey, with Mark Fotheringham going down with a head injury in the build-up to the goal - an injury which saw Norwich's captain leave the pitch on a stretcher.
The Canaries could also point to a nailed-on penalty which was not given after Darren Huckerby was taken down two minutes before Simon Grayson's side doubled their advantage.
Justice was served on 65 minutes though, with Norwich awarded a soft spot-kick when substitute Mattt Pattison went to ground, allowing Cureton to convert. Further half-chances came and went for City, but it was hard to argue with the final scoreline, with the visitors probably doing just enough to earn their second win in seven days.
City boss Glenn Roeder made two changes from the side which started against Barnsley last week.
Out went Pattison and Ched Evans, and in came Fotheringham and Dion Dublin who were both available again after serving a one match suspension.
Kieran Gibbs was given another chance to impress in central midfield, with Huckerby also retaining his place in the side.
The visitors were without striker Paul Dickov through injury, Andy Morrell and Stephen McPhee leading the attack.
Simon Grayson's side were full of confidence after their excellent 5-3 win over Charlton last weekend, with a win potentially taking them above City in the table.
Norwich meanwhile had their sights set on 10th place, hoping that their faint play-off hopes could be kept alive at the same time.
The first action of the game saw Gary Doherty making a great tackle on McPhee as he looked to break clear down the left. The big defender won the ball cleanly, but left the Blackpool man needing lengthy treatment on his left wrist after coming off worst.
City's defenders looked to be battling against the low sun inside the first 10 minutes of the game, with Norwich's back-line forced to shield their eyes when dealing with some of Blackpool's more direct play.
At the other end the Canaries had strung together one or two moves of promise, but had crucially yet to force visiting 'keeper Paul Rachubka into any serious action.
But on 15 minutes City found themselves behind. The home side looked to have escaped when Marshall did well to block Morrell's angled drive with an outstretched leg.
But with the Scottish international still getting back to regain his ground, the ball was scooped over to the far post where the unmarked McPhee was able to head into the roof of the net via Marshall's outstretched glove.
The goal sent the travelling fans into overdrive and merely served to silence the rest of what had already been an eerily quiet Carrow Road.
And the Canaries could have found them further behind on the 20 minute mark. Morrell latched onto an excellent pass through the inside right channel by Southern, giving him a clean sight of goal. But again Marshall came to the rescue, blocking at close range with the ball bouncing back off Morrell and out for a goal kick.
The Blackpool attacker then earned himself a bizarre booking by deciding to push over Marshall as he tried to take his kick - a moment which also served to wake-up a shell-shocked Barclay.
The crowd were certainly starting to make their frustrations clear, with a rare misplaced pass from Bertrand earning groans all around the stadium.
The visitors were getting in behind the Canaries with alarming regularity as their midfielder seemed to be given free reign to charge at the under pressure back four.
On the half hour mark McPhee got a chance for a second when he again latched onto a simple pass behind the Norwich defence, only to drag his shot well wide of the far post as Marshall was again forced to come out to narrow the angle.
Norwich really were struggling to make inroads in the Blackpool half, with the visitors so far good value for their lead. Roeder was clearly unhappy with what he's seen so far, the City manager making his way down to the touchline much earlier than usual, braving the freezing temperatures minus his suit jacket and coat.
And on 38 minutes City really were left cursing their luck when they were denied what looked to be nailed-on penalty.
Cureton's quick feet on the edge of the box allowed him to find Huckerby racing in behind him. The winger had the beating of home captain Barker, and seemed to have his legs taken on the corner of the six-yard box. But with the home crowd and players screaming for a spot kick, referee Rob Shoebridge awarded nothing.
And two minutes later their misery was compounded when Blackpool made it 2-0.
Once again City's midfield was conspicuous by its absence as Wes Hoolahan was given free reign to run through before finding McPhee with another simple ball behind the defence.
And the striker made no mistake, lashing the ball past Marshall before he could move from 10 yards out.
You had to argue that it was no more than the visitors had deserved from the first half, with Norwich really struggling to make an impression on the match.
City's despondency at losing another goal worsened when Fotheringham, who suffered a head injury in the build-up to the goal, had to be stretchered off with blood seeping from a wound. He was replaced by Matty Pattison.
Deep into first half injury time Cureton came close with a snapshot from the edge of the area after being found by Dublin's flick.
However, up until that final moment It truly had been a half to forget for Norwich, with the disappointing sound of boos greeting the team as they departed down the tunnel. You could only hope that Roeder's team talk could inspire them to better things in the second spell.
Half time: Norwich City 0-2 Blackpool
The teams returned for the second half unchanged, with the words of Roeder presumably still ringing in his players' ears.
And on 49 minutes Pattison almost illuminated Carrow Road with a tremendous shot.
Bertrand's free kick was cleared from the area but was bouncing horribly as Pattison set himself. But his effort was struck with awesome power, with the ball whistling an inch over Rachubka's bar with the 'keeper at full stretch.
The moment seemed to lift the home side, who began to put together one or two more incisive moves, led by Huckerby down the left.
All the same City's hesitancy was still proving troublesome, and when Huckerby was caught in possession on 52 minutes the ball ran loose to McPhee who, sniffing a hat-trick, charged forward towards the Norwich box.
Fortunately Otsemobor had the pace to get back and cover, forcing the Blackpool striker wide and allowing Marshall to save down by his near post.
City were starting to look more of a threat in the final third, but on 59 minutes Roeder decided to add some more firepower to his side, with Ched Evans replacing Croft and Norwich going 4-3-3.
The change almost helped City halve the deficit, with Rachubka forced into a hasty clearance by Evans closing down, with the ball landing at Cureton's feet a good 40 yards out wide right.
And while he struck his attempted shot well, it bent well wide of the left post.
But on 65 minutes the striker was given a much easier chance to score when City were awarded a penalty.
Pattison, who had been excellent since his first half introduction, powered through the heart of the Blackpool defence and into the area before taking a tumble under Ian Evatt's challenge.
Replays showed it was a soft decision by referee Shoebridge, but perhaps justice had been done after Norwich missed out on what should have been a spot-kick in the first half.
After much protestations by the visitors, Cureton kept his head to slide the ball to Rachubka's right as he went the other way.
What followed that goal began to border on the farcical, as Blackpool saw two efforts chalked off for offside in the space of a minute as Norwich piled forward sensing an equaliser.
That almost arrived on 74 minutes when Evans wriggled his way past two challenges on the corner of the box, creating time and space for a shot. Sadly, it lacked power, with the 'keeper able to collect with ease low to his right.
Good link-up play between Dublin and Huckerby in the area almost set-up the latter for a shot on goal before Evatt snuck in to push the ball out for a corner as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
To their credit, Blackpool continued to battle well, and always looked a threat themselves, particularly through the impressive Hoolahan.
With the game creeping towards 90 minutes Huckerby missed what looked to be a great chance to level things. Evans did well down the right to get to the by-line, and he looked up before rolling a ball across the six-yard box for Huckerby. But he air-kicked, allowing the Blackpool defence to clear.
It would prove to be Norwich's final chance of a match as the visitors left with all three points.
Final score: Norwich City 1-2 Blackpool
Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Pearce, Doherty, Bertrand, Croft (Evans 59), Fotheringham (c) (Pattison 43), Gibbs, Huckerby, Dublin, Cureton. Subs not used: Gilks, Shackell, Velasco.
Blackpool: Rachubka, Crainey, Southern, Evatt, McPhee (Burgess 90), Morrell (Flynn 87), Hoolahan, Taylor-Fletcher (Coid 83), Jorgensen, Gorkss, Barker (c). Subs not used: Hills, Welsh.
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