Josh Dawkin celebrates his goal (photo kindly provided by NCFC)

Joshua Dawkin sent home the 405 watching spectators braving the freezing winter elements at Carrow Road happy, after securing Norwich's path into the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup, sponsored by E-on, with a headed goal after fifty four minutes. Norwich had started the game with bounds of confidence following some recent good performances of late, and created some fine attacking football. However it was Wigan on twenty minutes that saw their first sight of goal when Callum McManaman let fly from twenty five yards that saw Declan Rudd diving full length across goal to see the ball travel wide of his left post.

On twenty six minutes Norwich almost went in front. Korey Smith who drove forward from midfield, and with Joshua Dawkin collecting a final pass, albeit with a little good fortune from a defender sandwiched in between, the winger raced through into the Wigan penalty area, before shooting wide of the far post with Neil Postlethwaite beaten. Three minutes later David Stephens sent a through ball to Kenny Reeves, leading the front line, only to be foiled by Neil Postlethwaite as he came from his goal. With Norwich in command, another good move along the right flank, with Danny Kelly releasing the ball to Johnbull Omoregie whose low cross was only cleared as far as Korey Smith who lashed the ball over the crossbar, from just outside the Wigan penalty area. But Norwich definitely should have netted following a Sam Habergham deep cross from the left which again Kenny Reeves tracked the flight of ball movements, before squeezing out defenders to accept the invitation, only to head just over the Wigan crossbar. On thirty eight minutes Kenny Reeves, whose persistence warranted a goal, was again thwarted by the Wigan stopper after receiving the ball from Tom Adeyemi. Norwich again started the second half well and Danny Kelly, inside the Wigan penalty area with the ball, saw his effort saved. But on fifty four minutes, a lapse in the Wigan defence, and Norwich capitalised. George Francomb delivered the ball from the right flank, into the Wigan penalty area, and with two defenders, with a possibility of a misunderstanding, allowed Joshua Dawkin to sneak in and cushion a downward header with one bounce past Neil Postlethwaite. Christmas had come early. Joshua Dawkin four minutes later almost netted his second, as he steered the ball just wide. On sixty six minutes Tom Adeyemi gathered pace with a fine run through midfield and was denied a goal as he approached the Wigan penalty area, with a fierce shot that was saved. But Wigan tested Norwich's nerves late on, being awarded two free kicks simultaneously, outside of the penalty area, but Norwich had overall had done more than enough to win this Third Round tie. City Line-Up: Rudd, Francomb, Habergham, Adeyemi, Dumic, Stephens, Omoregie (84. Brindley), Smith, Reeves (73. Davey), Kelly, Dawkin. Subs Not Used: Steer, Clarke, Ball. Top Canary: Kenny Reeves. Attendance: 405. Report courtesy of Rob Maynard.