Norwich City stopped their six-game winless run with a 3-1 victory against Stoke City, goals from Aaron Ramsey and Gabriel Sara securing three points for the Canaries.

Alex Neil's side had the best of a first half lacking in quality, with chances for Lewis Baker and Morgan Fox missing the mark before Ramsey's tap-in opened the scoring.

After a tense period during which Nick Powell missed an open goal for Stoke, it was Ramsey on the mark again to double his side's lead. A well-worked attack found the 19-year-old to exchange passes with Teemu Pukki before rolling beyond Joe Bursik.

Summer signing Gabriel Sara then tapped into an empty net to help take the Canaries to fifth in the Championship table, before Powell pulled a goal back for the visitors.

NORWICH CITY (4-2-3-1): Gunn; Byram, Hanley (C), Gibson, McCallum; Hayden (Nunez, 68), Gibbs; Dowell (Sara, 57), Ramsey, Hernandez (Cantwell, 68); Pukki (Hugill, 80). Unused Substitutes: Krul (GK), Aarons, Tomkinson.

Head Coach: Dean Smith

Bookings: Dowell (19), Hernandez (45+1), McCallum (60), Hayden (62), Byram (66)

STOKE CITY (4-3-3): Bursik; Clarke, Jagielka, Wilmot, Fox; Smallbone (Powell, 64), Laurent, Baker (C - Thompson, 77); Brown, Fosu (Wright-Phillips, 77); Gayle (Delap, 77) Unused substitutes: Bonham (GK), Flint, Sparrow.

Head Coach: Alex Neil

Bookings: Gayle (32), Laurent (82)

KEY MOMENTS

15 - Stoke work the ball quickly into Baker's feet and he tees up a half-volley, but drags it well wide.

17 - Fox tries a dipping volley from the corner of the box but it spins wide.

19 - Gunn tries to claim a cross but loses out and it falls to Gayle, who can't find the net with a mass of Norwich bodies in his way.

25 - Hayden chips the ball through to Pukki in the box and he tries to check back but loses control of the ball.

34 - Clarke forces his way into the box and fires his shot straight at Gunn, who parries clear.

35 - Dowell's corner is deep and finds Byram to head well over the bar.

38 - GOAL NORWICH (Ramsey): Gibbs wins the ball tenaciously before feeding Pukki, whose shot is parried to Ramsey for a tap-in.

40 - Fosu gets into the Norwich box and crosses for Brown, who should score buts heads over the empty goal.

45 - Gibbs gallops towards the box and has Byram in space to his right, but goes for goal and puts too much on his shot.

Half time - Norwich City 1-0 Stoke City

47 - Hayden's volley is spilled originally by Bursik, but he recovers to collect the ball.

52 - Brown drives towards Gunn's goal but smashes into the side netting on the angle.

63 - Laurent chests down before volleying wide.

67 - Baker's free-kick finds Powell at the back post and he heads into the side netting.

69 - Fosu finds Powell at the back post with a perfectly-weighted cross, but the Stoke midfielder heads over with the goal at his mercy.

72 - GOAL NORWICH (Ramsey): Norwich work the ball out to Ramsey well, and he exchanges passes with Pukki before rolling beyond Bursik for his second.

73 - Pukki finds Sara in on goal, but his driven shot is well saved from a wide angle.

75 - Cantwell's driven long-range effort is deflected just wide.

77 - GOAL NORWICH (Sara): Cantwell slips the ball through for Nunez, whose angled shot is parried straight to Sara to tap in.

79 - Gunn makes two strong stops, first denying Wilmot from close range before diving to save Thompson's long-range effort.

83 - Hugill goes through on goal and tries to poke beyond Bursik, but is denied by the Potters goalkeeper.

90+2 - GOAL STOKE (Powell): Delap drives to the byline and cuts back for Powell to smash home a consolation.

Full time - Norwich City 3-1 Stoke City

PLAYER RATINGS

Gunn 6, Byram 6, Hanley 6, Gibson 6, McCallum 7, Gibbs 7, Hayden 6, Dowell 4, Ramsey 8, Hernandez 6, Pukki 7. Substitutes: Sara 7, Nunez 7, Cantwell 6, Hugill 5.

MATCH STATISTICS

Possession: 44pc-56pc

Shots: 16-17

On target: 9-4

Corners: 5-6

Fouls: 14-10

Added-on time: 2 mins/3 mins

ATTENDANCE: 26,159

REFEREE: Keith Stroud