Nigel Pearson refused to be downbeat despite defeat and admits his Bristol City side should have left Carrow Road with at least a point.
Individual errors proved costly in the first half when Teemu Pukki capitalised on two howlers from Kal Naismith at the back to give the Robins an early mountain to climb after 23 minutes.
Naismith missed a clearance from a long ball over the top for the opener before gifting the ball to Aaron Ramsey in the middle of the park who freed Pukki to put the Premier League hopefuls into a commanding lead.