Veteran striker Dion Dublin and Ched Evans were on target as Norwich beat Burnley 2-0 to dent the Clarets play-off hopes at Carrow Road.Dublin turned back the clock to turn in a commanding display as his close-range finish with barely 60 seconds gone paved the way to a comfortable victory which was confirmed when substitute Evans scored in the last minute.

Canaries goalkeeper David Marshall was also in fine form as he superbly denied Joey Gudjonsson late in the first half and also thwarted Kyle Lafferty towards the end of the game.

Defeat for the Clarets left them three points and five places adrift of a top-six spot while Norwich edged further clear of the relegation mire.

The hosts made an explosive start and were ahead with barely a minute played with a move started and finished by Dublin.

Dublin's overhead pass allowed Jamie Cureton to spring the offside trap but the latter saw his cutback blocked and Darren Huckerby latched on to the loose ball.

Huckerby then scampered down the right flank before flighting in an inch-perfect cross and Dublin steered the ball past goalkeeper Brian Jensen from close range.

It was Dublin's ninth goal this season as the 38-year-old prepares to call time on his playing career in the summer.

Burnley responded well to going a goal behind as Chris McCann tested Marshall from 18 yards shortly afterwards while Darel Russell scuffed a 12-yard shot at Jensen after being sent clear by the evergreen Dublin.

Just before the half-hour mark, Gudjonsson's rasping 25-yard drive was parried past the post by the outstretched Marshall and the Iceland midfielder tried his luck from further out shortly before half-time but failed to hit the target.

After the restart, Jon Otsemobor saw his 25-yard curling effort saved by Jensen before Cureton spurned a gilt-edged chance to double Norwich's lead.

Matthew Pattison's cross eluded everyone and Cureton pounced but somehow fired wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle introduced former England international Andrew Cole just before the hour in the hope of mustering an equaliser, but it was Norwich who continued to look the most threatening.

Huckerby shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area before Cureton headed another Pattison cross past the upright.

With 23 minutes remaining, Marshall made a brilliant reflex save to keep out Lafferty's 12-yard volley while Jensen denied Pattison from 25 yards as the game flowed effortlessly from end to end.

Evans then scored in the 90th minute from 12 yards after good link-up play with the impressive Huckerby.

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