Brentford went out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the first attempt at a soaking wet Carrow Road on Tuesday night.

Brentford manager Andy Scott started with a strong line-up, and made four changes to the side that drew with Oldham on Saturday, as well as a few positional changes.

Starting with a 4-3-3 formation, Danny Foster started at left-back, with Karleigh Osborne and Leon Legge occupying the centre-back positions and Kevin O'Connor at right-back.

The midfield saw Marcus Bean starting a competitive match for the first time this season, alongside David Hunt and Sam Saunders, with Steve Kabba, Myles Weston and Cleveland Taylor leading the frontline.

Norwich started strongly and as the rain teamed down, Jens Berthel Askou had the first chance of the match, volleying over when Stephen Hughes was perhaps better placed.

Shortly after Chris Martin should have done better when latching onto a weak O'Connor backpass, however he chose to square rather than shoot and the ball drifted wide of Lewis Price's goal.

On eleven minutes Price attempted to clear from outside and to the left of the penalty area, but failed to get any elevation, the ball dropping to Spillane who powered back towards goal from fully forty yards. Price was beaten but as the ball arrowed towards goal Osborne did superbly to get back and clear off the line with nothing to spare.

Darel Russel volleyed wide, Hughes dragged a shot wide and Goran Maric shot straight at Price as Norwich started to dominate, but against the run of play the Bees very nearly took the lead, Kabba turning sharply and firing just into the side netting from 20 yards.

Michael Nelson then headed straight at Price before the home side took the lead, Martin atoning for his earlier miss by cutting inside from the left and placing a powerful measured shot inside Price's far post, giving the Bees' custodian no chance.

Brentford switched to 4-4-2, and immediately showed more zip and purpose, Taylor not quite able to get onto the end of a Saunders cross after a sublime Osborne crossfield pass.

Moments later Kabba should have equalised, Saunders cross was long but Taylor retrieved and turned sharply, firing the ball across goal and as Kabba arrived in the six yard box he couldn't keep his shot below the bar, to the relief of Ben Alnwick who was surely beaten.

The last meaningful action of the halfsaw Weston's shot charged down by Spillane as the away side finished the stronger, despite the hosts' early ascendancy.

Both sides started the second half tentatively, O'Connor did well to clear under pressure from Martin, before at the other end Alnwick produced a brilliant close range save as Bean got his head on the end of a whipped Saunders corner.

Martin then headed marginally wide when well placed, before Bean again went close from a Saunders corner.

Legge was then a fraction away from equalising as another Saunders corner caused problems - Bean again getting on the end, this time with a volley that eluded both the far post and the outstretched leg of Legge.

Brentford continued to enjoy second half possession, but were unable to break down a stubborn home defence, and Norwich happy to counter attack, with clearcut chances few and far between.

Price did well to read and hold an attempted Nelson chip, while at the other end Alnwick was lucky to see his mis-timed punch from a Hunt cross drop to safety.

Andy Scott introduced Sam Wood for Saunders with two minutes remaining and he could well have scored with his first touch, Alnwick misjudging Taylor's deep cross but managing to just about flick the ball over Wood's head at the far post.

Kabba came close to equalising in injury time but couldn't quite connect with Osborne's cross - and the home side advanced into the next round.

Attendance:12,450

Written by Matt Davis 

Brentford line-up as follows:

Price; O'Connor, Osborne, Legge, Foster; Hunt, Bean, Saunders (Wood 89); Kabba, Weston, Taylor

Subs (not used): Bull, Ferrell, Franks, McCluskey