QPR succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Norwich City at Carrow Road, despite a valiant second-half display from Neil Warnock's men.

In a battle between last season's automatically promoted teams from the npower Championship, the Canaries took the lead on 15 minutes, when Russell Martin eventually fired home Andrew Surman's teasing corner.

Norwich were probably the better side in the first period. But Rangers were much better after the half-time break and were rewarded for their efforts when Luke Young fired home his second goal in as many Barclays Premier League fixtures in the 59th minute.

The hosts would eventually edge proceedings however - largely thanks to a double switch by Canaries boss Paul Lambert 20 minutes from time.

The Scot introduced both Wes Hoolahan and Grant Holt and the duo were on hand to produce a City winner three minutes later, with the latter smashing home an effort past Radek Cerny from all of six-yards out.

Warnock made two changes to the R's side that secured a 3-2 victory at Stoke City last weekend.

Paddy Kenny missed out owing to injury (glutes), while Joey Barton served a one-match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in that win over the Potters.

Cerny and Shaun Derry respectively therefore deputised in a 4-4-2 formation.

Cerny started in goal for QPR for the first time since May, behind a back four of Young, skipper for the day Anton Ferdinand, Danny Gabbidon and Clint Hill.

Jamie Mackie began out wide on the right of midfield, with Derry and Ale Faurlin in the middle of the park and Traore occupying the opposite flank.

Shaun Wright-Phillips partnered the in-form Heidar Helguson in attack.

The opening five or so minutes made for a closely-matched contest.

Norwich's first chance came on eight minutes. Simeon Jackson hit a cleanly-struck effort on the half volley from 20 yards, but his shot was well held by Cerny.

Two minutes later, Steve Morison spurned an even better opportunity to put the Canaries in front.

A ball from deep sparked a chase between the Wales international and Ferdinand, before Morison muscled his way past the Rangers defender and into the box.

There was no way past Cerny, however, as the R's stopper sprawled magnificently well at the feet of Morison to collect the ball.

Norwich were now unquestionably on top. Andrew Crofts saw his daisy-cutter shot deflected inches wide of Cerny's right-hand post on 14 minutes.

But Lambert's men were rewarded for their positive start from the resultant corner.

Surman's out-swinging clip created havoc in the box and, when the ball eventually ricocheted into the path of Martin, the Canaries man was on hand to smash Norwich into the lead from close range.

The opening goal was probably no more than City warranted. QPR, on the other hand, could count themselves unfortunate not to have been awarded a penalty two minutes later.

Helguson's flick-on fell to Wright-Phillips in the box. The diminutive attacker then attempted to lift the ball over John Ruddy and nip in around the City keeper, before he appeared to be hauled to the ground.

But referee Mr Clattenburg was having none of it, as he confidently waived away appeals for a spot-kick.

The R's fashioned their first attempt of the affair on 19 minutes. Wright-Phillips' corner found the head of Helguson who, under pressure from his marker, headed an effort well over the bar.

But Norwich still continued to look dangerous at the other end. A free-flowing move ended in Simeon Jackson laying a ball back to Morison on the edge of the box, who fired a shot just wide of the target.

QPR seemed to get better as the first half wore on, twice going close just before the break.

Wright-Phillips was felled on the left-hand edge of the box, before the former Man City winger dusted himself down to send over a dangerous free-kick that somehow evaded a whole host of bodies and dropped just wide of the far post.

Rangers created an ever better opportunity to draw level on the stroke of half-time - again thanks to the handy work of Wright-Phillips.

The midfielder's driving run from just past the centre circle saw Wright-Phillips race right up to the Norwich box before his subsequent drive was parried back out to Mackie, who found the angle too acute when he smashed a shot into the side-netting.

The R's continued from where they left off after the interval, with Wright-Phillips soon in the thick of the action once more.

Hill's clever pass into the QPR attacker saw Wright-Phillips fall to the ground in a tussle with his marker, before springing to his feet to send an effort - albeit on the stretch - wide of the right-hand post.

Moments later the same pair combined again, with Hill nodding Wright-Phillips' corner from the right over the target.

A goal down, Warnock decided it was a time for a change on 57 minutes, when Jay Bothroyd was introduced at the expense of Hill.

And no sooner than two minutes later, Rangers were level - and deservedly so.

Mackie's burst from just inside the Norwich half saw the Scotland midfield man run unchallenged to the edge of the box and, when his low drive smashed against the foot of the left-hand post, Young followed up guide the ball home into an empty net with a tidy finish.

This was much better from QPR, with the introduction of a hungry-looking Bothroyd giving the R's an extra dimension in attack.

But the home side made three changes of their own in the second half, including a double switch in the 70th minute when Hoolahan and Holt were brought on to replace Anthony Pilkington and Jackson respectively.

It proved to be a tactical masterstroke by Lambert, with the newly-introduced duo on hand to find a Norwich winner.

Morison's cross from the left was headed towards goal by Holt, whose effort was then cleared off the line by Young.

But Rangers failed to properly clear their lines and paid the ultimate price seconds later.

Hoolahan eventually regained possession for the Canaries and, when he teed up Holt with an in-swinging cross, the industrious front-man was on hand to smash the ball home past a helpless Cerny from close range.

Norwich City: Ruddy, R. Martin, Johnson, Morison, Crofts, Jackson (Holt 70), Surman, Pilkington (Hoolahan 70), Barnett, Tierney, De Laet (Naughton 58).

Subs: Rudd, Fox, Bennett, Wilbraham.

Goals: Martin (15), Holt (73)

Bookings: Naughton (87)

QPR: Cerny, Hill (Bothroyd 57), Derry (Buzsaky 77), Gabbidon, Faurlin, Mackie, Traore, Young, Helguson, Wright-Phillips (Smith 79), Ferdinand.

Subs: Putnins, Orr, Hall, Puncheon.

Goals: Young (59)

Referee: Mr M Clattenburg

Attendance: 26,781