FA Cup: Preston North End 2-4 Norwich City highlights
Adam Idah said scoring a hat-trick in the FA Cup was "everything you want growing up" as Norwich beat Preston North End to reach the fourth round.
The academy graduate, making his second club start, handed the visitors an early lead with his first Norwich goal.
Onel Hernandez doubled their advantage before Idah hit a stunning third from 40 yards after Connor Ripley's mistake.
Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop scored for Preston, led by Ex-Norwich boss Alex Neil, but Idah struck with a penalty.
"It is a good day in the FA Cup and I'm delighted to get the goals," Idah told BBC Sport.
"I think all the assists were from Marco Stiepermann and we have been working on that in training. I have been working for the last six or seven months, I got my chance tonight and I took it."
The Canaries, who are bottom of the Premier League, go into the hat for Monday's fourth round draw after their first FA Cup win since 2013.
Preston are two points outside the play-off positions in the Championship in 10th and return to league action at local rivals Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, 11 January (15:00 GMT).
No Pukki, no problem
Daniel Farke made eight changes to the Norwich side that drew with Crystal Palace in their last Premier League fixture, as Idah replaced the injured Teemu Pukki in attack.
Pukki is the club's leading scorer this season with nine goals, but 18-year-old Idah proved he is a more than capable replacement with an impressive performance at Deepdale.
He opened his Norwich account in the second minute when he burst on to Marco Stiepermann's weighted pass before sliding the ball past Ripley.
The striker was prevented from doubling his tally when Ripley palmed away his lofted attempt but Norwich did score moments later when Hernandez fired a low effort under the Preston goalkeeper.
His second, a first-time effort from long range after Ripley's loose pass, was the sign of a confident striker intent on making his mark.
The hosts improved after the break and were rewarded when Bodin headed in to reduce the deficit, but when Idah was brought down after latching on to another Stiepermann through-ball, what followed had an air of inevitability.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Adam Idah scored a hat-trick as Norwich beat Preston North End
The forward recovered the ball, placed it on the spot, and beat Ripley for a third time with a well-struck penalty to complete a fine hat-trick on his first FA Cup appearance.
Harrop pulled another back for the hosts late on but Norwich will be dreaming of a cup run to distract them for their disappointing league campaign.
'Premier League referees do not make decisions' - what they said
Preston manager Alex Neil told BBC Sport: "I certainly think the second half was better, but having looked at two of the goals, they are clearly offside [Norwich's second and fourth goals]. The problem you have with Premier League referees is that they basically do not make decisions any more because of VAR, but we do not have VAR [in the Championship]. If it was at Norwich, the fact is both of them wouldn't have been goals. Having looked at them, they are not even close - it is half a body for each goal.
"The boys rallied in the second half, they were a lot of better and we created a few chances. But when you give any Premier League teams a couple of goals it is going to be difficult. We changed every player apart from two of them so we have big [selection] dilemmas for the next match. Our bread and butter is against Blackburn next week."
Norwich manager Daniel Farke told BBC Sport: "Good performance and a well deserved win. It was a professional performance, considering it is the fifth game in 14 days. The most important thing is we go into the next round, and we are also three games unbeaten, which helps with the confidence."
On Adam Idah's performance: "Adam was great. Of course he delivered with three goals but his workload was good and his ability to link the play. We play many young lads but there are no gifts and they are on the pitch because they deserve it.
"We also had some players on the pitch who were not in their rhythm, but to deliver that performance was good. We have had unbelievably difficult draw in previous years, but a cup run is always good and you always have to fight."
