Norwich City put seven past Reading to dent Royals’ promotion hopes

Reading looked anything but a side challenging for promotion to the Premier League as they suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of a rampant home side.

Norwich had their outside chances of making the Championship play-offs all but snuffed out by a 3-0 defeat at Huddersfield in midweek but they were magnificent at Carrow Road.

They hit Reading for six in an incredible first half, with Wes Hoolahan and Alex Pritchard scoring two apiece and Nelson Oliveira and Russell Martin also on target. The substitute, Cameron Jerome, then added salt to the wounds in the 89th minute.

Yann Kermorgant’s goal with Reading 5-0 down was hardly a consolation and Jaap Stam’s side will need to regroup quickly for the challenges that lie ahead, even though their position in the top six looks relatively secure.

“It was just one of those days when all their shots on target seemed to go in, every loose ball seemed to fall to them, although we didn’t help ourselves,” said Stam.

“I don’t think it will affect the confidence of the players – all they can do now is learn from what happened and then move on, because we have some more very big games coming up.”

Norwich’s caretaker manager, Alan Irvine, who, it was announced on Friday, will remain in charge for the rest of the season, was delighted with the way his side bounced back from the Huddersfield defeat.

“I said after that game that I couldn’t defend the performance so it is only fair that I praise them now,” he said. “They went about their business superbly, it was an excellent performance.

“Bearing in mind the quality of the opposition I think it’s the best display since I have been here. The lads were absolutely spot on in the way they played both with and without the ball and we could have had a few more goals.”

Norwich took the lead after three minutes. The referee, James Linington, pointed to the spot after Chris Gunter knocked Oliveira off balance as he tried to prod home and the Portuguese striker converted the penalty.

Norwich did not have to wait long for their second. Jacob Murphy’s cross prompted chaos and the ball broke kindly for Hoolahan to fire home.

Reading were guilty of more poor defending as the home side added a third on 26 minutes. They were slow to react as the ball ran free 20 yards out and Pritchard needed no invitation to curl the ball over the keeper.

Norwich stretched their lead again six minutes later. This time Ali al-Habsi was unlucky, making a good save to keep out Oliveira’s goalbound shot only for Martin to tie up the loose ends.

Goal No5 arrived on 35 minutes when Pritchard picked up the ball 30 yards out, ran unchallenged towards goal and slid the ball past the exposed keeper.

Reading reduced the arrears when Kermorgant prodded home after John Ruddy had blocked Lewis Grabban’s header, but it was Norwich who had the final say in an incredible first half. More poor defending allowed Hoolahan to wrestle through and tap the ball past Habsi at the second attempt to make it six.

With the destination of the points having long been decided there was less intensity to the game in the early stages of the second half with Reading more involved and Ruddy tipping over a 30-yard strike from John Swift.

Pritchard twice went close to making it seven while the unmarked Oliveira wasted a glorious chance.

Al-Habsi also made a couple of superb stops to deny Murphy and Timm Klose as Norwich regained some of their first-half rhythm, while a Mitchell Dijks header came back off the crossbar.

Norwich scored the seventh goal they deserved in the 89th minute when Jerome converted a cross from fellow substitute Josh Murphy with the Reading defence again nowhere.