West Ham moved into the fourth round of the FA Cup after seeing off the challenge of Norwich 2-1 at Carrow Road - where there was no sign of Canaries striker Dean Ashton, left out as speculation surrounding his future continued.

Goals from Hayden Mullins, after just five minutes, and Bobby Zamora put the Barclays Premiership side well in command by the hour mark.

And although Paul McVeigh pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, it was just not Norwich's day - one which was made worse when England goalkeeper Robert Green had to be taken off on a stretcher, his neck in a brace, during the closing minutes after an accidental clash with Marlon Harewood.

The Canaries were beaten by the Hammers at the same stage of this competition, when they were in the top flight.

West Ham swept into the lead after just five minutes.

The visitors had been reduced to 10 men as full-back Paul Konchesky needed treatment for a blooded nose following accidental clash of heads with Ian Henderson.

However, Matthew Etherington smartly fed Bobby Zamora into the left side of the penalty area.

He dashed to the byline, before cutting back inside youngster Rossi Jarvis and rolling a pass out to Etherington.

The midfielder cleverly stepped over the ball, allowing Hayden Mullins, in space on the edge of the box, to smash a swerving effort in off the left-hand post.

It was all too easy for the Premiership side, who soon were back up to full strength following Konchesky's return and slotted to a five-man midfield, happy to contain the hosts' limited attacking threat.

On 13 minutes, the West Ham left-back got in on the overlap down the flank, and drilled an angled effort just over the crossbar.

In a rare moment of action at the other end, Shaka Hislop spilled the ball as he came to collect a deep cross from the right.

But fortunately for the Trinidad and Tobago keeper, Dickson Etuhu looped a rushed effort over the bar from 18 yards.

As the half-hour mark passed, the tempo of the game dropped somewhat, with neither side able to make the most of promising approach play.

Mullins bundled over McVeigh, giving the home side a free-kick in a central position, 25 yards from goal.

Simon Charlton struck the ball well enough, but his effort flew over.

The Hammers were again quick to dominate at the start of the second half.

Zamora cut inside onto his right foot and flashed a drive just wide of the far post.

Etherington then got away down the left, and his cut-back picked out the advancing Harewood, but the striker could only sidefoot wide from six yards.

Then moments later the same player connected with Zamora's cross from the right, getting ahead of his marker Jarvis to steer an acrobatic effort goalwards, which grazed the outside of the far post.

In the 52nd minute, Jason Jarrett bundled Mullins over, less than a yard from the edge of the penalty area.

The free-kick was rolled back to Konchesky, and his low drive was deflected just past the post for a corner.

The Hammers were, however, soon 2-0 up - albeit in bizarre fashion after 56 minutes.

Etherington got to the byline again, and whipped the ball back across the six-yard box.

The spin on the cross, though, took it back towards goal, which wrong-footed Green, who had to dive into the net to hook clear with both hands.

The England keeper's efforts were in vain, however, as the ball dropped right to Zamora, who nodded in what must be one of the simplest goals he will ever score.

Norwich threw men forward - and Hislop needed to tip over Henderson's dipping effort from 25 yards.

The home side were then handed a lifeline on 70 minutes when James Collins was adjudged to have handled the ball when a cross was swung in towards the far post and Norwich striker Peter Thorne. McVeigh made no mistake from the penalty spot to set up an interesting final 20 minutes.

However, there was to be no grandstand finish, and the home side's day went from bad to worse when Green went off on a stretcher, his neck in a brace.

The England keeper was caught in the face by Harewood's trailing leg as the pair collided in the six-yard box.

Darren Ward came on in his place, and the delay meant seven minutes of stoppage time - but Norwich could not find an equaliser.

Teams:

Norwich Green (Ward 89), Jarrett (Spillane 87), Fleming, Doherty, Drury, Henderson, Etuhu, Charlton, Rossi Jarvis (Cave-Brown 90), Thorne, McVeigh.

Subs Not Used: Shackell, Brennan.

Booked: Drury.

Goals: McVeigh 72 pen.

West Ham Hislop, Repka, Gabbidon, Collins, Konchesky, Newton, Mullins (Fletcher 68), Reo-Coker, Etherington (Dailly 79), Harewood, Zamora (Katan 81).

Subs Not Used: Bywater, Aliadiere.

Goals: Mullins 6, Zamora 57.

Att: 23,968

Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).