Norwich's brave escape effort had a sorry ending as they dropped out of the Barclays Premiership following a six-goal thrashing at Fulham.

A series of spirited displays had left the fate of Nigel Worthington's men in their own hands going into the clash at Craven Cottage.

But another great display failed to materialise as the home side took an early lead through Brian McBride and never looked back.

The 6,500 massed ranks of Canaries supporters were left crestfallen as the reality of a return to the Coca-Cola Championship dawned - but the Norfolk club will have won many friends, if ultimately not enough points, for a positive approach on their first campaign back in the top-flight for nine seasons.

The visitors had started brightly enough, with Steed Malbranque feeling it necessary to trip Norwich full-back Adam Drury on the right edge of the Fulham penalty box in the fourth minute, but fortunately for him, David Bentley's delivery was straight at Edwin van der Sar.

Darren Huckerby then saw his low 18-yard strike deflected behind by Moritz Volz after the big Dutch goalkeeper had punched Dean Ashton's centre away to the edge of the area.

Disaster struck, however, for the visitors when Fulham took the lead in their first attack after 10 minutes.

Lee Clark fed Tomasz Radzinski from the left channel, and the Canadian looked up before sliding a lovely pass through for McBride, who had slipped marker Damien Francis.

The American calmly then dispatched a low effort between Robert Green's legs from eight yards.

In the 14th minute, Norwich striker Leon McKenzie appealed for a penalty as he felt he was impeded by Zat Knight as the Fulham centre-back shielded the ball for 'keeper van der Sar, but referee Steve Dunn was not impressed.

Luis Boa Morte then bundled Bentley over to hand the visitors a free-kick some 30 yards out in a central position.

The midfielder - playing his final match of a season-long loan from Arsenal - was again, though, off target with his attempted curler.

In the 25th minute, Ashton had an effort chalked off after he pushed Knight on the six-yard line before drilling the loose ball past van der Sar.

On the half-hour mark, Huckerby went down under a challenge from Volz inside the Fulham box, but although it looked like the full-back did indeed tug the shirt of the Norwich winger, Dunn was again unimpressed.

After 32 minutes, the visitors had to make a change when Youssef Safri - who had been struggling with a groin strain from last week - was replaced by Gary Holt.

Moments later, and it was 2-0.

Boa Morte was bundled over some 25 yards out, just left of centre, by a clumsy combination of Thomas Helveg and Francis. Papa Bouba Diop needed no second invitation as he promptly whipped the free-kick up over the wall and past Green's right-hand for a fine goal.

With the pressure now off the home side, Malbranque created an opening for himself on the edge of the Norwich area, and only a fine low save from England squad 'keeper Green prevented Norwich from going further behind.

A minute from the break, McBride saw his point-blank-range effort somehow touched up onto the underside of the bar by Green and then cannon back out to safety.

At the start of the second half, Green was again called into action, when he got down to his right quickly to hold Clark's 20-yard angled effort.

Huckerby almost skipped clear, but then touched the ball out to the left which allowed Volz to track back before he was fouled by the Norwich winger.

Then some terrible defending saw Fulham net a third on 53 minutes.

Both Craig Fleming and substitute Mattias Jonson jumped for the same high ball following a corner from the left.

As possession then broke to Knight on the right-edge of the penalty area, the centre-back promptly smashed in a fine low first-time strike past Green.

Worthington threw on another striker when Bentley was replaced by Mathias Svensson after 58 minutes.

Jonson, cutting in on the angle, forced a good stop from van der Sar at his near post as the Canaries, with results elsewhere going against them, went in search of another unlikely late recovery.

Time was running out for Norwich though as Francis scuffed an effort across goal from the edge of the penalty box.

At the other end, Bouba Diop tested Green's reflexes with a well-struck 25-yard effort before Malbranque swept in a fourth after Boa Morte had raced through the depleted Norwich backline on 71 minutes.

The Canaries forced a couple of corners, but van der Sar was never really troubled before Ashton's far-post strike was correctly flagged offside.

Fulham were comfortable enough in possession - and deadly on the break.

McBride fired in another with five minutes left following a quick break, with substitute Andrew Cole completing a miserable end to Norwich's Premiership adventure in stoppage time.

Teams

Fulham Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Goma, Bocanegra, Malbranque, Clark, Diop, Boa Morte (Cole 87), McBride, Radzinski.

Subs Not Used: Pembridge, Crossley, Rehman, Pearce.

Goals: McBride 10, Diop 35, Knight 54, Malbranque 72, McBride 86, Cole 90.

Norwich Green, Helveg (Jonson 45), Fleming, Shackell, Drury, Bentley (Svensson 59), Safri (Holt 33), Francis, Huckerby, Ashton, McKenzie.

Subs Not Used: Charlton, Ward.

Booked: Helveg.

Att: 21,927

Ref: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).