TOWN crashed out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy this evening at the quarter-final stage, going down 5-3 on penalties.

With the sides goalless after 90 minutes, Billy Paynter, Charlie Austin and Kevin Amankwaah all netted, but Craig Easton saw his spot kick saved by Fraser Forster.

And it was left to former Swindon man Jamie Cureton to wrap up the victory from 12 yards.

In normal time, Billy Paynter, Ben Hutchinson and Charlie Austin all forced Canaries keeper Fraser Forster into saves, while Norwich offered very little apart from a first-half Cody McDonald effort.

With just two minutes on the clock Scott Cuthbert's weak defensive header only made it as far as Paul McVeigh on the edge of the box, but his half-volley failed to trouble Phil Smith.

Town missed a glorious chance to break the deadlock in the eighth minute. Alex Revell squirmed away from a challenge before slipping in Jon-Paul McGovern down the right.

His first time cross was met by Billy Paynter unmarked six yards out and the front man somehow shanked his shot horribly wide.

As Norwich began to dominate possession Phil Smith came to Swindon's aid. Gordon Greer was outpaced by Cody McDonald, and with Kevin Amankwaah coming across to cover, Smith made a smart save with his legs to keep out the resulting low strike.

However, the hosts hit back and Revell was thwarted by a combination of Canaries keeper Fraser Forster and an offside flag when he slid in at the far post to try and ram home Lecsinel Jean-Francois' driven cross-cum-shot.

On 37 minutes Norwich keeper Fraser Forster was forced into his first save, keeping out Scott Cuthbert's effort after McGovern's initial free-kick had been blocked.

Within a minute of the restart Ben Hutchinson had stung the palms of Forster, before the keeper was called to make a regulation save from Revell's low 20-yard drive.

But in the 57th minute Cody McDonald should have put the visitors in front. The striker met Paul McVeigh's corner with a powerful free header from eight yards only to direct it straight at Smith.

Paynter fizzed a shot just past Forster's upright, before Wilson switched his striking options with a double change, replacing Alex Revell and Ben Hutchinson with Charlie Austin and Anthony McNamee.

Austin's first touch forced Norwich to concede a corner, from which a deep McGovern delivery found Amankwaah making a late run, but the full-back could only power harmlessly over.

The Canaries were offering very little going forward, and an Owain Tudur Jones strike from 3o yards which was lashed high and wide, summed up their attacking play.

Austin almost made himself a hero in the 85th minute when he met Jean-Francois' left-wing cross with a bullet of a diving header, forcing Forster into a smart diving stop.

But despite some heavy late pressure, they were unable to find a way past the big on-loan Newcastle man, and the tie went to penalties.

Paynter, Austin and Amankwaah were successful for Town, while Tudur Jones, Stephen Hughes, Michael Nelson and Jens Berthel Askou netted for the Canaries.

But Easton's penalty was far too close to Forster and it was a simple stop for the keeper, leaving Cureton the chance to wrap up the win, which he gladly did.

TOWN (4-3-3): Phil Smith; Kevin Amankwaah, Scott Cuthbert, Gordon Greer (c), Lecsinel Jean-Francois; Jon-Paul McGovern, Jonathan Douglas Craig Easton; Ben Hutchinson (Anthony McNamee 65), Alex Revell (Charlie Austin 65), Billy Paynter

Subs not used: Jakub Jesionkowski, Sean Morrison, Lee Peacock

NORWICH (4-4-2): Fraser Forster; Jon Otsemobor (Dario Dumic 57), Michael Nelson (c), Jens Berthel Askou, Rhoys Wiggins; Paul McVeigh (Stephen Hughes 62), Owain Tudur Jones, Tom Adeyemi, Josh Dawkin; Cody McDonald, Jamie Cureton

Subs not used: Declan Rudd, David Stephens, Danny Kelly