A fourth successive defeat made it a miserable Carrow Road night for Norwich City's youngsters.

The young Canaries were denied by the crossbar in the 14th minute when Tom Scully's corner from the left came off the head of Fulham defender Jerome Opoku.

City who went close again when Isak Thorvaldsson burst towards the box from the right and was tripped, only for Alfie Payne to pick up the loose ball and drive a shot from the edge of the box which was tipped over by visiting keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond.

However two goals in four minutes saw the Cottagers take control before the break. The first came in the 36th minute after good play on the left from Jayden Harris, with a cross from Tyrese Francois swung at by Timi Odusina but not cleared and the ball bundled in from close range by striker Cameron Thompson.

It was soon 2-0 and it was a forgettable moment for City keeper Jon McCracken, rising high to claim a cross from the left from Harris, only to lose the ball under pressure to allow Matthew O'Riley to slot home.

With U18s coach David Wright in charge following Matt Gill's switch to join Paul Lambert's coaching staff at Ipswich, the athletic Devonte Aransibia was brought on for Scully at the break.

With the likes of Adam Idah, Simon Power and Adam Phillips unavailable, it was a tough night for the City youngsters – capped off by an odd third goal for Fulham as right-back Cody Drameh lobbed McCracken from wide in the 56th minute.

Thorvaldsson saw a drilled shot well saved soon after and Harris found the side netting for Fulham in the 70th minute as rain poured down on a cold night. Thompson danced through City's defence 10 minutes later to lash high into the net from close range to put the visitors 4-0 up and complete a torrid evening.

Next up in PL2 is a trip to Middlesbrough on Sunday for the Canaries youngsters (1pm kick-off), at Heritage Park, the home of Northern League Division One side Bishop Auckland.

Norwich: McCracken; Kamal, Odusina (C), Lomas, Richards; Milovanovic, Payne; Coley, Thorvaldsson, Scully (Aransibia 46); Spyrou. Unused subs: Johnson (GK), Jones, Omabamidele, Dronfield

Booked: Kamal (foul on Ibrahuma, 56)

Goals: None

Fulham: Ashby-Hammond; Drameh, Davies (C), Opoku, Mundle Smith; Cisse, Francois; Harris, O'Riley, Santos Clase (Carvalho 79); Thompson. Unused subs: Ashby-Hammond (GK), Kelly, Jenz, Atkinson

Booked: None

Goals: Thompson (36, 80), O'Riley (42), Drameh (56)

Referee: Lloyd Wood

Attendance: 750 (estimated)