Caroline Graham Hansen and Lisa-Marie Utland had the side ranked 13th in the world 2-0 up after 16 minutes.

A Caroline Weir penalty pulled one back after the break before Graham Hansen's second for the Norwegians in La Manga.

"We tried a new system initially and I thought we got caught out tactically in the first 15 minutes," Kerr said.

"Once we adjusted a few things, I thought that they grew into the game."

Scotland were without several of their top players through injury and Kerr praised Lana Clelland for an "excellent performance" up front while admitting that the Fiorentina striker had been left "a wee bit isolated".

Norway, who like Scotland are preparing for this summer's World Cup finals in France, had beaten the same opponents 3-0 a year ago.

And they went ahead against the side ranked 20 in the world when Wolfsburg midfielder Caroline Graham Hansen broke clear before chipping Vittsjo goalkeeper Shannon Lynn.

After Rosengard striker Utland slotted in the second from Guro Reiten's cutback, lone striker Clelland twice tested goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand.

Weir found the net after the break only to be denied by an offside flag, but moments later the Manchester City midfielder fired in off the post from the spot after Leanne Crichton was knocked to the ground by defender Ina Gausdal.

Graham Hansen fired low into the far corner to restore the two-goal lead with 15 minutes remaining before being denied a hat-trick by the crossbar.

"It's not easy when you concede two goals against a team that are higher ranked than you - and they're a really really good team," head coach Kerr told BBC Scotland.

"We need to play teams that are higher ranked than us for us to improve. We need to put ourselves under pressure.

"We need to be challenged and there were lots of positives."

Scotland face Iceland on Monday in another friendly in La Manga.