Darren Huckerby returned from suspension to score his sixth goal of the season and earn play-off hopefuls Norwich a point at Plymouth.

An own goal from Simon Charlton had given Argyle a slender half-time lead, but forward Huckerby's neat chip shortly after the restart levelled matters.

Both sides had chances to win the game but a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing ensured the game ended all square.

Plymouth handed a debut to Lilian Nalis, signed this week from Sheffield United, and made two more changes from the side beaten 1-0 by Wolves in the FA Cup, with Elliot Ward and Nick Chadwick returning.

Norwich, going into the game on the back of two defeats, also made three changes, with leading scorer Dean Ashton and defender Jurgen Colin recovering from groin injuries and Huckerby available after his ban.

City started brightly with Colin trying his luck from distance and Huckerby flashing a shot past the upright from the edge of the box.

Ashton sent a header over the crossbar after 11 minutes as the visitors continued to dominate the early stages.

But Plymouth weathered the storm and began to threaten, with Colin throwing himself in front of a Tony Capaldi shot before Adam Drury, making his 200th appearance for the Canaries, came to the rescue as he blocked a close-range header from David Norris.

Argyle did snatch the lead shortly afterwards. A Capaldi corner caused mayhem in the City defence and, when Chadwick headed the ball goalwards, it trickled over the line via a deflection off Charlton.

Ward, back in the Pilgrims line-up after being cup-tied last weekend, could easily have made it two moments later, but he drilled wide from six yards.

Jason Jarrett, who spent a spell on loan at Home Park earlier this season, fired over and Craig Fleming headed wide from close in as Norwich ended the half strongly.

But it was the home side who came out fighting after the break, with Micky Evans forcing a comfortable stop from Green, before Nalis had the England keeper scrambling to keep out a fierce 25-yard drive.

Norwich equalised against the run of play in the 48th minute, as Huckerby got to the byline and cleverly chipped the ball past Romain Larrieu and into the bottom corner.

Plymouth responded through Evans and Paul Connolly but neither troubled Green, while Ashton fizzed a 25-yard effort inches past the post and screwed a shot wide from close range for City.

The action continued to swing from end to end, with Capaldi's left-footed shot bringing a good stop from Green, Ashton heading straight at Larrieu and Connolly's attempted lob falling into the keeper's arms.

Plymouth looked the side more likely as time ticked on, with Capaldi, Chadwick and Nalis all going close.

Ashton left the field through injury late on and his replacement Peter Thorne spurned a golden chance to snatch the points but he fired straight at Larrieu when well-placed.

Teams:

Plymouth Larrieu, Connolly, Ward, Doumbe, Barness, Norris, Wotton, Nalis, Capaldi, Evans, Chadwick (Taylor 83).

Subs Not Used: McCormick, Aljofree, Hodges, Djordjic.

Booked: Wotton.

Goals: Charlton 24 og.

Norwich Green, Colin, Fleming, Doherty, Drury, Charlton, Etuhu, Jarrett (Hughes 55), Henderson, Ashton (Thorne 81), Huckerby.

Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Shackell, Brennan.

Booked: Huckerby, Colin.

Goals: Huckerby 48.

Att: 13,906

Ref: A Penn (W Midlands).