Rampant Reading continued their seemingly unstoppable march towards the Premiership by brushing aside Norwich with a four-star display at the Madejski Stadium.

Classy goals from from Nicky Shorey, Steve Sidwell, Leroy Lita and Bobby Convey stretched the Royals' amazing unbeaten run to 30 Coca-Cola Championship games - and their lead at the top to 10 points.

City boss Nigel Worthington tonight agreed a fee for West Brom's Robert Earnshaw and on the evidence of this performance the Welsh striker cannot arrive quickly enough for the Canaries.

Worthington left his two deadline-day loan signings, Charlton forward Jonatan Johansson and defender Zesh Rehman - of Fulham - on the bench, while Reading boss Steve Coppell could afford to make seven changes from the side that drew with Birmingham in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Lita fluffed a golden opportunity to put the hosts ahead in the opening moments, heading Glen Little's centre wide with Robert Green exposed.

Gary Doherty then escaped with a yellow card for hauling down Kevin Doyle in the sixth minute as the striker threatened to burst clear.

But the Royals exacted their revenge by taking the lead from the resulting free-kick on the right corner of the penalty area.

Shorey stepped up to curl a superb left-foot shot inside Green's near post for his first goal of the season.

Lita could have doubled the advantage five minutes later after dancing into the box, but he was foiled by a last-ditch tackle from Doherty and Green saved Doyle's follow-up.

Dickson Etuhu got on the end of Norwich's first real opening, but his shot drifted past the onrushing Marcus Hahnemann and harmlessly wide.

And in the 17th minute the visitors were two down when Graeme Murty sent Little charging to the byline.

The winger's perfect cross was powered home by head of Sidwell for his seventh goal of another impressive campaign.

Sidwell shot straight at Green from distance and Convey curled an effort narrowly wide, while Norwich's best chance of the first half fell to Darren Huckerby, who hit the side-netting with a late volley.

Worthington introduced Jason Jarrett at the break and the former Wigan man's first contribution was to fire wastefully across goal.

And 10 minutes into the second half Reading went 3-0 up when Doyle got clear down the left and drove in a low cross which was bundled home by Lita.

Johansson was brought into the action on the hour but there was no stopping the hosts by now and it was lively winger Convey who got his name on the scoresheet with a cracking goal in the 69th minute.

The American picked up the ball around halfway and charged at the creaking Norwich rearguard before smashing the ball past Green from the edge of the area.

Substitutes Shane Long and Brynjar Gunnarsson forced Green into fine saves as Reading continued to pile forward, while at the other end Norwich's sorry evening was summed up when substitute Ian Henderson headed wide from a yard out.

Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sidwell (Gunnarsson 71),Sonko, Little (Oster 60), Lita, Harper, Ingimarsson, Convey,Doyle (Long 74).

Subs Not Used: Stack, Hunt.

Goals: Shorey 6, Sidwell 17, Lita 55, Convey 69.

Norwich Green, Drury (Jarrett 45), Fleming, Doherty, Colin,Charlton, Hughes, Etuhu, McVeigh (Henderson 64),Thorne (Johansson 64), Huckerby.

Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Rehman.

Booked: Doherty, Jarrett, Charlton.

Att: 21,442

Ref: L Mason (Lancashire).