A SECOND-HALF Grant Holt double put paid to ten-man Newcastle’s chances at Norwich City in a thrilling contest.

Wes Hoolahan’s 39th minute opener was cancelled out by Demba Ba’s 10th goal of the season in a fractious first half at Carrow Road, but the second half erupted into life with goals from Holt and Steve Morison as the Canaries stretched ahead, while Ba added a second to give Newcastle hope after Dan Gosling had been sent off.

Hoolahan scored the first of the game after Andrew Crofts’ goalbound header from an Andrew Surman corner was palmed out by Tim Krul. The Dutch goalkeeper was furious as the corner was given against Krul who had been ajudged to have carried the ball out of play. Replays seemed inconclusive, and Newcastle’s fury was compounded with Hoolahan’s fortuitous goal.

Norwich’s lead lasted seven minutes, however, as Yohan Cabaye dinked a perfect ball through the Canaries’ backline as Demba Ba raced through, took a perfect first touch and slotted past John Ruddy.

Norwich restored their advantage  on 59 minutes when Holt nodded past Krul at the second attempt from Andrew Surman’s cross, and Morison made it three four minutes later when he powered a header past Krul from Andrew Crofts’ centre.

It got worse for Newcastle when Gosling was dismissed for a clumsy challenge on Russell Martin, before Ba gave the Magpies hope with a 71st minute goal.

However, all hope was in vain as Holt rose to head his second from the cross of substitute Bradley Johnson on 82 minutes.

The early exchanges hinted towards an ill-tempered affair, as Newcastle’s patched-up back four, missing Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor through injury, struggled to deal with the physical threat of Norwich’s frontmen Grant Holt and Steve Morison.

Both Morison and Holt went close with chances, before referee Martin Atkinson waved away claims for a penalty kick against Davide Santon who looked to have handballed inside the area.

It was perhaps this perceived injustice that led to the linesman awarding a corner against Krul 15 minutes later, but in the aftermath of the goal it was Newcastle’s protests which fell on deaf ears.

Ba spurned a decent opportunity a minute after the interval when he collected Shola Ameobi’s lofted ball across the face of the goal, but the Senegalese striker could only fire over Ruddy’s crossbar.

But a six-minute horror spell did for Newcastle as Holt and Morison got on the scoresheet, then Gosling’s 65th minute foul on Martin saw the former Everton trainee heading for an early bath.

Ba’s low finish from Shola Ameobi’s through-ball raised the Magpies’ spirits, but Holt’s second of the game put a thrilling contest to bed.

NORWICH CITY (4-4-2): Ruddy; Naughton, Martin, Whitbread (Barnett 83), Tierney; Hoolahan (Jackson 84), Fox, Crofts, Surman (Johnson 77); Morison, Holt. Subs: Rudd, Pilkington, Bennett, Wilbraham.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2): Krul; R. Taylor, Perch, Simpson, Santon (Ferguson 90+3); Gutierrez, Gosling, Cabaye, Obertan (Sa. Ameobi 81); Sh. Ameobi (Smith 90+1), Ba. Subs: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Lovenkrands, Best, Ferguson.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (Halifax)

Att: 26,816