GRANT Holt was the hero as Norwich City relieved some of the pressure after Saturday's 7-1 home thumping by Colchester with a 4-0 Carling Cup first round victory at Yeovil tonight.

GRANT Holt was the hero as Norwich City relieved some of the pressure after Saturday's 7-1 home thumping by Colchester with a 4-0 Carling Cup first round victory at Yeovil tonight.

Holt, a summer signing from Shrewsbury, scored a hat-trick - his first goals for the club - after Wes Hoolahan had opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half from the penalty spot after Adam Drury had been fouled.

Holt scored his first eight minutes later, heading home Simon Whaley's cross and then doubled his tally on 82 minutes having tried to set up the overlapping Adeyemi on the break and then taking his chance when the youngster's shot came back off keeper Alex McCarthy.

The icing on the cake came seconds after the 90 minutes was up, curling in a shot from 20 yards which went in off the keeper's left-hand post.

The plus points, a clean sheet, four goals - and possibly light at the end of a nervous tunnel.

City boss Bryan Gunn had made five changes to his team as he attempted to put Saturday's debacle firmly behind him.

As expected, goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos was axed, having conceded seven on the opening day, while two other defenders were also missing: right back Jon Otsemobor and central defender Michael Nelson replaced by Michael Spillane and Jens Berthel Askou, making his senior debut for the Canaries.

In midfield, young Tom Adeyemi came in for Owain Tudur Jones, who is on international duty with Wales, while Cody McDonald, who scored City's goal on Saturday, was drafted in up front alongside Grant Holt, with Chris Marein dropped.

Martin and Theoklitos were on the bench - the other three sat out proceedings altogether.

Yeovil: McCarthy, Forbes, Stam, Caulker, Jones, Murray (Obika 63), O'Callaghan, Welsh (Smith 85), Scofield, Williams, Tomlin. Subs: Alcock, Murtagh, Martin, Lindegaard, McCollin.

City: Alnwick 6, Spillane 6, Doherty 5, Askou 5, Drury 7 (Lappin 68, 6), Whaley 6, Gill 6 (Hughes 51, 6), Adeyemi 6, Hoolahan 7, Holt 9, McDonald 7 (Maric 85). Subs: Cureton, Martin, McVeigh, Theoklitos. Booked: Schofield, 72, foul on Hoolahan; Jones, 88, foul on Whaley.

Attendance: 3,860

Referee: James Linington.