Norwich win delights Lambert
Centre-back Leon Barnett put the Canaries, who had won at Bolton last week, in front in the 31st minute after winger Elliott Bennett had skipped into the right side of the penalty area, and Wales forward Steve Morison made it two after the break.
Kieran Richardson drilled in for Sunderland late on and, with Norwich down to 10 men because of an injury to substitute James Vaughan, the home side were forced to hang on. Lambert said: “It’s a start. Winning away last week at Bolton was terrific and getting your first win at home is a big step. We’re new to it but we’re playing very well at the minute.
“I’m delighted for the lads. People maybe wrote them off a little bit with where we’ve come from. A few years ago we were in League One and now we’re competing at this level and I think it’s testament to the players.”
Next up for Norwich is a trip to Old Trafford to face champions and leaders Manchester United.
“An easy game that one,” joked Lambert. “We’ll do everything we can. I hear people saying ‘go and enjoy it’ but it’s only enjoyable if you’re holding your own.’’
Steve Bruce conceded Sunderland deserved nothing from the game. “We huffed and puffed but if I’m being honest I thought we didn’t pass it as well as we needed to,” he said. “We gave the ball away so cheaply so many times.
“We haven’t done the basics. We switched off (for the goals). Fair play to Norwich. It was always going to be a difficult one and one where we needed to play well on the night but unfortunately we haven’t done that.”
NORWICH: Ruddy, Naughton, Russell Martin, Barnett, Tierney, Bennett (Crofts 84), Bradley Johnson, Fox, Pilkington (Vaughan 78), Hoolahan, Morison (Holt 78).
SUNDERLAND: Mignolet, O’Shea, Brown, Bramble, Richardson, Elmohamady, Larsson (Ji 68), Gardner, Vaughan, Bendtner, Sessegnon (Wickham 68).
Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
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