Robert Earnshaw gave the Norwich faithful a taste of life after Dean Ashton by bagging his first goals for the club as the Canaries overpowered ten-man Brighton 3-0 at Carrow Road.

Earnshaw was brought to the club for £3.5million to replace Ashton in January and opened his account with a neatly-taken pair of late goals.

Both sides came to this game in desperate need of victory. Brighton - third-bottom at the start of the day - had taken just one point from the last four matches and Norwich had not won in six outings.

Brighton's 18-year-old striker Joe Gatting was again included after impressing in his first start against Leicester last week and the youngster raised pulses early on with a strong header in the third minute.

Gatting, who has 30 goals in 24 youth and reserve fixtures, connected with Alexandre Frutos' well-directed cross but his header missed the target.

Norwich's Youssef Safri - who was an injury doubt for the game - was the game's brightest spark in the opening passages but his only meaningful attempt on goal sailed wide from 25 yards out.

Both sides committed their share of fouls and the game was punctuated by a series of free-kicks but it was not until the 28th minute Norwich opened the scoring.

Darren Huckerby drilled home from six yards, firing high into the left-hand corner to leave Wayne Henderson with no chance.

Norwich, for whom Jonatan Johansson and Adam Drury were also impressing, ended the half increasingly worthy of their advantage while the Seagulls were left with only a couple of snatched attempts on goal - by Gary Hart and Frutos - to show for their efforts.

Frutos started started the second half strongly and soon earned a free-kick after being fouled by Andy Hughes.

The Frenchman floated the ball into the box from the left flank but England hopeful Robert Green was on hand to claim the cross.

Green was looking assured between the posts and commanded his area well when racing to collect further crosses from Adam Hinshelwood and Kerry Mayo.

Brighton manager Mark McGhee sent on another attacker, Colin Kazim-Richards, after 54 minutes as he sought to find an equaliser but his plans were turned to shreds just minutes later.

Hinshelwood, who was booked after 38 minutes, was dismissed after fouling the effervescent Huckerby.

With Brighton fighting to survive in both the division and this match few cards can have caused so much anguish this Valentine's Day.

Despite losing a man the visitors rallied with Richard Carpenter and Kazim-Richards both seeing searching balls repelled by on-loan defender Zesh Rehman.

Brighton soon tired and it was left to Earnshaw to steal the show by scoring two in the space of three minutes at the end.

His second, a lobbed effort from 12 yards, was particularly satisfying for the Wales international.

Teams:

Norwich Green, Fleming, Doherty, Rehman, Drury,Johansson (McVeigh 70), Safri (Robinson 80), Hughes, Huckerby,Thorne (McKenzie 70), Earnshaw.

Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Etuhu.

Booked: Rehman.

Goals: Huckerby 28, Earnshaw 87, 90.

Brighton Henderson, El-Abd, Hinshelwood, Butters, McShane,Mayo, Lynch (Reid 68), Carpenter, Frutos,Gatting (Robinson 80), Hart (Kazim-Richards 55).

Subs Not Used: Martin, Loft.

Sent Off: Hinshelwood (57).

Booked: Hinshelwood, McShane, El-Abd.

Att: 24,038

Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).