A GOAL in either half from Luke Chadwick and Jamie Cureton ensured the Canaries first win in 12 league games at Carrow Road this afternoon.
Chadwick pounced with a curling shot on 35 minutes after good play from recent loan signing Matthew Pattison.
And Pattison was the provider again in the second half, setting up Jamie Cureton for a close-range finish to ease the nerves of the City faithful.
Indeed, Norwich could have had more, although Coventry too could point to a few missed chances, with Marshall in particular doing well to deny substitute Wayne Andrews with a brave block in the second half.
Norwich were also denied what looked like a dead-cert penalty in the second half for a blatant handball, but in the end the two goals were enough for City to get a much-needed win under their belts.
City boss Glenn Roeder handed City debuts to two of his recent loan captures for the visit of the play-off chasing Sky Blues.
Matthew Pattison looked set to start in midfield, with Mo Camara thrown straight in at left-back.
Manchester City striker Ched Evans had to make do with a place on the bench, with the forward positions handed to the fit-again Dion Dublin and Jamie Cureton.
Mark Fotheringham was also given his first start since recovering from the ankle injury suffered during Norwich's 2-1 win over Southampton back in August.
Defender Matthew Taylor was also passed fit after the groin strain suffered two weeks ago against Plymouth and joined captain Jason Shackell in the heart of defence.
Former City 'keeper Andy Marshall was left on the bench, with manager Iain Dowie keeping faith with Dimi Konstantopoulos.
Meanwhile, another former Canary, Leon McKenzie was left out of the squad, presumably still feeling the effects of a recent operation on his knee.
Before kick off there was a rousing moment's applause for Canaries' legend Graham Paddon, who passed away this week aged 57.
It was a fitting tribute for a true City great, with the fans at Carrow Road now hoping the players could held send-off the 1971-72 promotion winner in style with three points.
The first shot of the game arrived on eight minutes. The chance came from a great tackle by Pattison, who slid in to win the ball off Isaac Osbourne just over the halfway line.
That challenge won a round of applause from his new supporters, with the ball eventually finding it's way to Russell on the turn 25 yards from goal.
His shot was on target, but it lacked the pace to trouble Konstantopoulos in the visitors' goal.
The opening minutes of the game had not been especially pleasing on the eye, with Coventry eager to utilise the aerial strengths of Kevin Kyle and Dele Adebola in attack.
And the former was unlucky not to get more on his near post header on 15 minutes as he dived in to meet Doyle's low cross from the left.
Two minutes later and Cureton came close to putting City in front. Positive running from Russell ended with the midfielder guiding a low cross along the six yard box.
It looked to be making it's way to Cureton, who had got in front of Ben Turner, but Konstantopoulos had read the danger well to collect off the striker's toes.
Fotheringham was shining for the Canaries in midfield, so far at the heart of all of their attacking moves.
And on 25 minutes his pass into Chadwick drew a foul which earned City a free kick wide on the right 30 yards from goal.
Pattison produced an excellent delivery to the far post which the Coventry 'keeper merely punched into the ground under pressure from Dublin.
Russell reacted quickly to turn the ball back towards the far post, which bizarrely struck Dublin on the back as he seemed to switch off. Nevertheless, the ball still finished in the net, but the celebrations were correctly cut short by the assistant's flag.
Marshall had so far been equal to everything the visitors had offered as the game passed the half hour mark, with the Scottish 'keeper collecting a low shot by Adebola comfortably from the edge of the box.
But five minutes later Norwich took the lead with a brilliantly taken effort by Luke Chadwick.
Fotheringham found Pattison wide left, and he delivered a ball into the box which was just behind the outstretched leg of Dublin.
But the ball ran through to Chadwick 12 yards out who, from an angle, twisted well to curl a first time left-foot shot into the bottom corner and past the outstretched grasp of Konstantopoulos.
It had been the first real moment of quality in the game, with Chadwick going across to the Barclay to celebrate.
City were looking good value for their lead, but Coventry were still looking threatening when utilising the towering strengths of their two centre forwards.
Half time: Norwich City 1-0 Coventry
Both teams returned to the pitch unchanged for the second half, with City keen to add to their advantage and avoid a potentially nervy final 45 minutes.
And Norwich were on the front foot within the first minutes of the second period, with Cureton volleying over the bar at the near post after meeting Chadwick's cross from the right.
On 51 minutes it looked as though Coventry striker Kevin Kyle's game was over, with the big man apparently carrying a painful knock.
He was replaced by Ellery Cairo.
On 54 minutes City were denied what looked a nailed-on penalty.
Chadwick found Otsemobor with a super ball down the right, and the defender showed great pace to get past his man before firing a cross into the near post.
Turner seemed to stick out his hand to take the ball out of danger, something confirmed by replays on television.
But referee Andy D'Urso pointed to his chest, allowing Coventry to clear the danger.
The moment infuriated the home crowd, and they were even angrier moments later when Pattison became the first player to be booked for a late challenge on Doyle.
The two decisions had certainly brought the crowd to life, and they in turn lifted the players, with City again coming close to extending their lead on 61 minutes.
First a swift break triggered by the quick feet of Chadwick saw Russell find Camara wide left.
He swung over an excellent ball, which Dublin just failed to get his head to.
Even then the ball ran back to Camara, and he again produced a dangerous cross which was cleared only to Chadwick on the edge of the D. His shot was goal-bound, but a Sky Blue shirt threw himself in the way to block.
On 67 minutes Coventry came close to equalising when Cairo's header drifted a yard past the fair post with Marshall stranded. Another reminder if it were needed that the three points were far from safe.
The game was becoming a stretched one, and on 70 minutes Cureton bent a shot just wide of the far post after finding a yard of space on the left corner of the box.
On 73 minutes Roeder made his first change of the game, bringing Lee Croft on in place of Chadwick.
And a minute later City should have doubled their advantage.
Fotheringham swung over an excellent free kick from the right, with Dublin rising highest to meet it 10 yards out. But the big striker could only head over the angle when he would have wanted to have worked the 'keeper at the very least.
But on 77 minutes it was 2-0 thanks to a well worked move.
Croft picked up the ball inside his own half and embarked on a jinking run into Coventry territory, playing a one-two with Dublin over the halfway line in the process.
He looked up and found Pattison away on the left, and the on-loan Newcastle man produced an excellent cross with the outside of his right boot for Cureton to smash into the roof of the net on the far post.
It was a goal which lifted much of the tension at Carrow Road, although with more than 10 minutes still to play City would have to continue the hard work to keep Coventry at arm's length.
On 85 minutes Marshall was forced to produce some heroics to keep the two goal buffer intact.
A fortuitous deflection saw the ball run through City's defence, putting Andrews in the clear.
The City 'keeper came out bravely to block at his feet, but the ball ran loose to the Coventry sub, leaving him with what looked like an open goal at a slight angle.
But Andrews' desire to take a touch proved crucial, allowing Marshall to get back and make a crucial tackle deflecting the ball over the bar to safety.
In the final minute of normal time Dublin's game was ended, with Chris Brown replacing him.
And as three minutes of injury time was signalled, Marshall had an almighty let off as he allowed a near post shot from Andrews to squeeze through his hands.
Fortunately, the ball came back off his near post and fell straight into his grateful grasp.
Final score: Norwich City 2-0 Coventry
Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Taylor, Shackell (c), Camara, Chadwick (Croft 73), Russell, Fotheringham, Pattison, Dublin (Brown 90), Cureton. Subs: Arnold, Brown, Doherty, Evans.
Coventry City: Konstentopoulos, De Zeeuw, Hall, Hughes (Andrews 66), Doyle (c), Adebola, Kyle (Cairo 53), Osbourne (Gray 76), McNamee, Tabb, Turner. Subs: Marshall, Ward.
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