Pompey followed up their midweek win against Sheffield United with a hard-fought success in East Anglia, with a 51st-minute penalty from striker Marezi settling the issue.

It was a fifth successive league defeat for the hosts and there were calls for sporting director Ben Knapper to go from frustrated supporters at the final whistle.

Before the match there was a minute’s applause to honour Norwich’s former joint majority shareholder Michael Wynn-Jones, who died earlier this month – but the emotional tribute failed to inspire the hosts in what was a dull first half.

Neither side managed an effort of any description in the opening 35 minutes, with Pompey wide-man Ryan Kavuma-McQueen finally breaking the tedium by sending a shot well over from distance.

A couple of minutes later Adrian Segecic saw a shot well blocked after good work on the right from Abu Kamara, while at the other end weak long-range shots from Ruairi McConville and Anis Ben Slimane were all Norwich had to show for their efforts.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 51st minute, with Pompey going ahead from the spot.

Jacob Wright was penalised for clipping Kamara in the box and Serbian striker Marezi stepped up to convert the penalty for his third goal of the season.

Norwich responded in spirited fashion, with Ben Slimane testing Nicolas Schmid with a low drive and Jovon Makama volleying over after being picked out by substitute Lucien Mahovo.

The Canaries kept pressing and were desperately unlucky on 77 minutes when Pelle Mattsson’s shot from the edge of the box came back off the upright, with Schmid well beaten.

It was a brave effort from Norwich, but not enough to prevent them from slipping to an eighth defeat in 11 league games.