Ashton scored after 35 minutes to put the home side two goals up, French defender Mathias Kouo-Doumbe having put through his own net after good play by Paul McVeigh in the nineteenth minute. Ashton went on to hit the post and shoot narrowly wide in the second half as City managed to assert their obvious superiority.
The record signing's goal came courtesy of a complete lack of marking from the Pilgrims' defence, Ashton nipping in to touch home a close range volley. He celebrated with a John Travolta-esque display of finger pointing.
Kevin Lisbie made his debut for the Canaries after joining on loan from Charlton, and had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside just seconds after coming on for McVeigh.
A full match report on the clash, which took Norwich into sixteenth position in the Championship prior to the three o'clock kick offs, will follow.