When the teams were read out, and it became clear that Norwich had a completely new team, Crawley knew there was always a chance they could pull it off.
Norwich hit the post, and then the bar, but ultimately they came up short on a frustrating evening.
Daniel Farke made 11 changes to the side that lost against Chelsea at the weekend and if Tuesday night acted as an audition for the new faces ahead of facing West Ham on Saturday, few can say they are in with a chance of landing the part.
Crawley, sat 62 places below Norwich in the football pyramid, were penned back early and had 20-year-old goalkeeper Michael Luyambula to thank for first denying Kenny McLean's strike, and then Phillip Heise's powerful drive inside the area.
But the hosts just needed to stay in the game and the home groans soon transformed to cheers when Bez Lubala found the net - with the help of a fortuitous deflection off Norwich striker Adam Idah.
Lubala has four goals from the opening five league games and felt confident enough to try his luck on the edge of a crowded box after a well-worked short corner routine with team-mate Nathan Ferguson.
Ralf Fahrmann, in for Tim Krul, could do nothing to keep it out. Norwich rallied, keen to avoid being the headline scalp, but an energetic Gabriele Ciofi - who did not sit for the entire game - managed to haul his players over the line for a famous win.
