Jamie McDonald/Getty ImagesNorwich's Bradley Johnson warned against complacency this week

Those who still doubted Norwich's resolve to survive in the Premier League should have been at Carrow Road this afternoon. Stoke were every bit as resolute, physical, aggressive as they have always been painted (somewhat uncharitably) in the Tony Pulis era. Chris Hughton lost two of his defenders to injury and was forced to keep Steven Whittaker on the pitch for a second 90-minute outing in a matter of days after months on the sidelines with ankle ligament damage. And yet, the Canaries still hung on for a vital 1-0 win.

Peter Crouch was the target with a barrage of diagonal balls as the Potters looked to get back into a game effectively settled by Bradley Johnson's sublime and athletic glancing back-header in the final minutes of the first half. But Hughton's men survived. After wins over Arsenal and Tottenham in league and cup tussles, Stoke provided an acid test of Hughton’s management and his improving set of players. The home side passed with flying colours though Pulis will justifiably feel aggrieved. His men bossed proceedings for sustained spells but the source of his irritation appeared to centre on the events leading up to Johnson's superb header.

Robert Snodgrass tumbled under the attentions of the retreating Andy Wilkinson on Stoke's left flank. Wilkinson was booked as Pulis berated the fourth official for Andre Marriner's decision, though he'd turn a shade of crimson seconds later when Snodgrass picked out Johnson to glance past Asmir Begovic. The Stoke boss waited for what appeared a tasty confrontation with Marriner at the half-time whistle before wisely deciding to launch his protest away from prying eyes.

That pent-up fury appeared to be channelled into his team's efforts on the resumption. From the first whistle of the second period to the last the visitors pummelled and pounded away. Crouch roamed across Norwich's backline but Leon Barnett was immense after being press-ganged into emergency service when Michael Turner and Javier Garrido succumbed to injury. Make no mistake; the Norwich of previous weeks would have crumbled in the face of such a sustained onslaught. Heavy defeats to Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea revealed a worrying brittleness in the ranks, but now Norwich look a much tougher proposition to break down.

On this occasion, they failed to scale the stylish heights of the recent Carrow Road home win over Arsenal or the majestic late comeback to sink Spurs in midweek, but that in itself highlights a hugely positive trend. Even though Wes Hoolahan's magic was rationed -- one audacious long range lob apart, he had a quiet game -- and Grant Holt was well patrolled by the likes of Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth, Norwich still found a way to prevail.

Alex Tettey and Johnson offer the sort of protection to a defence that continues to provide reliable protection to John Ruddy. The England man was called into action to foil Jonathan Walters in the second period, but Ruddy could only wave Kenwyne Jones' close range angled strike goodbye as it grazed the outside of his far post.

Norwich now head to Reading currently six points clear of their next opponents, a gap that could close given the Royals' visit to QPR this Sunday. Suddenly the worries and the cares of the world sit on others' shoulders. Long may it continue.

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