Norwich City advanced to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 4-3 win over Stevenage at Carrow Road, but their much-improved performance was the real story after a rollercoaster few days.

Goals from Abu Kamara, Onel Hernandez (2) and Borja Sainz helped put an opening day defeat to Oxford to bed, with a number of the Canaries' young prospects impressing amid a cacophony of transfer uncertainty.

Much of the focus was on new boy Amnkwah Forson, making his full City debut after a 45-minute, and he made his presence felt early on. Within three minutes he'd headed the game's first shot wide, and by the sixth his well-weighted pass had set up its first corner.

Nothing came of that attack, but fans were seeing more of the passing football they'd been promised by head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup. In the 11th minute they added the high press he desires, Sainz the beneficiary but unable to get a shot off.

But the visitors were a threat on the counter, and were inches from taking the lead midway through the first half. Unfortunately for their supporters, Dan Kemp's outstretched boot could only divert Jordan Roberts' cross wide.

Marcelino Nunez then registered the evening's first shot on target from a free-kick, his near-post curler turned behind by Murphy Cooper in the Stevenage goal.

He couldn't keep Norwich out for long, however, and in the 26th minute they had the lead. Hernandez was set to underline why he hadn't scored at Carrow Road for five years when he miscued Sainz's cutback, but Kamara's touch and finish turned his shot into a valuable assist.

But the home fans barely had time to watch a replay before it was level-pegging once again, Charlie Goode's free header a frustrating equaliser from Thorup's perspective.

When his side bounced back, though, they really bounced back. A swift and incisive passing move found Jack Stacey with plenty of space in the opposition half, his set-up the perfect weight for Hernandez to stride onto and finally break his duck.

But very few things have been straightforward for Norwich this summer, and that didn't change in their first competitive home game. Just as the NR1 crowd prepared for a positive half time of cheery beverage drinking and positive conversation, a set-piece had The Boro level again. This time it was a corner, Harvey White's whipped delivery diverted in by Louis Appere.

The drama didn't cease with the half time whistle, and in the 47th minute City were ahead once again. This time it was Sainz to add his name to the scoresheet, picking a loose ball up and firing into the side-netting.

As it turns out, Hernandez home goals are like London buses, and two thirds into the fixture he found his brace. It was only a 25-minute drought between these strikes, his second a fine finish low into the bottom corner.

Alex Revell's men found a minor consolation when Brad Hills diverted substitute Lewis Freestone's cross into his own net late on, but in truth their counterparts had been comfortable since Hernandez' second.

There were murmurs of uncertainty as the clock kept on ticking, but the Hertfordshire side couldn't create an unlikely opening for a fourth.

The optimistic feeling around Carrow Road was palpable on the final whistle, as supporters recognised the shift toward a news style of football and a new era of entertainment. It won't live too long in the memory, but as far as Carabao Cup first rounds go, it was a big one. 

City are back at the stadium in just three days' time, when they welcome Blackburn Rovers for the first home game of the Championship season. They'll hope to win their first points of the league campaign, but are set to face an in-form Rovers side.

NORWICH CITY:

(Image: Adam Harvey/Newsquest)

Substitutes:

37. Mair (GK)

4. Duffy (on for Fisher, 81)

5. Hanley

6. Doyle (on for Warner, 61)

8. Gibbs (on for Forson, 61)

9. Sargent

41. Forsyth (on for Sainz, 69)

44. Myles (on for McLean, 81)

46. Aboh

Head Coach: Johannes Hoff Thorup

Bookings: Long (25), Forsyth (75)

Goals: Kamara (26), Hernandez (35, 60), Sainz (48)

STEVENAGE:

(Image: Adam Harvey/Newsquest)

Substitutes:

25. Bouzanis (GK)

2. Wildin

6. Sweeney (on for Goode, 45)

12. Simpson (on for Kemp, 70)

16. Freestone (on for Butler, 59)

17. List

22. Phillips (on for Freeman, 59)

23. L. Thompson

24. B. Thompson (on for Roberts, 70)

Manager: Alex Revell

Bookings: White (18)

Goals: Goode (28), White (45), Hills (OG, 88)

KEY MOMENTS

17 - Roberts flashes across for Kemp, but he miscues his effort wide.

19 - Nunez' free-kick is turned behind by Cooper.

26 - GOAL NORWICH (Kamara): Forson slides the ball into Sainz and he cuts back for Hernandez. His shot is spinning wide, but Kamara controls and pokes home from a yard out.

28 - GOAL STEVENAGE (Goode): White whips a free-kick to the back post that Goode heads home unmarked.

35 - GOAL NORWICH (Hernandez): A swift and incisive passing move ends with Stacey's pass to Hernandez and his instinctive finish.

45 - GOAL STEVENAGE (Appere): Appere gets a touch on White's corner to guide it in.

Half time: Norwich City 2-2 Stevenage

47 - Kemp's low effort is held well by Long.

48 - GOAL NORWICH (Sainz): Nunez finds Kamara in the box and when he's tackled it breaks for Sainz. He dances past the visiting defence and fires an angled strike into the side-netting.

60 - GOAL NORWICH (Hernandez): Forson wriggles away from his marker and finds Hernandez, who uses Sainz as a decoy before firing low into the bottom corner.

66 - White's swerving drive dips wide of the far post.

88 - GOAL STEVENAGE (Hills OG): Hills diverts Freestone's cross into his own net for 4-3.

Full time: Norwich City 4-3 Stevenage

PLAYER RATINGS

Long 5, Stacey 7, Warner 7, Hills 6, Fisher 6, McLean 7, Nunez 6, Forson 7, Kamara 7, Hernandez 7, Sainz 8. Subs: Gibbs 6, Doyle 6, Forsyth 5, Myles 5, Duffy 5.

MATCH STATISTICS

Possession: 65pc-35pc

Shots: 12-7

On target: 6-3

Corners: 8-3

Fouls: 12-21

Added time: 3 mins/4 mins

Attendance: 13,054 (516 Stevenage)

Referee: Sunny Gill