Leicester's challenge for the Division One championship suffered a setback at
the Walkers Stadium where Norwich came from behind to secure a
share of the spoils.
The Foxes had gone into the game trailing leaders Portsmouth by two points
with two games of the season remaining.
A victory for Leicester would have meant resolution of the title tussle on the
final day, but the 1-1 draw with the Canaries confirmed Pompey - who host
Rotherham later on Sunday - as favourites for the title.
Norwich demonstrated early menace through midfielder Gary Holt, who saw a
second-minute effort from 25 yards take a deflection off defender Matt Elliott
before being collected by keeper Ian Walker.
Leicester's Paul Dickov went close five minutes later, though, with a shot
which flashed across goal.
But Jordan Stewart's afternoon was destined to end prematurely, the Foxes
midfielder jogging off the pitch and down the tunnel after appearing to damage
either his left shoulder or wrist in a collision involving Norwich striker Ian
Henderson.
Nicky Summerbee was introduced as Stewart's replacement and it was the
substitute who made an immediate impact by supplying a right-wing cross Dickov
nodded wide before another pin-point delivery helped Leicester break the
deadlock on 19 minutes.
It was Trevor Benjamin who arrived at the back post to stab the ball home from
a free-kick, with Norwich appealing for offside.
The goal stood, though, and had also owed much to contributions from
Summerbee, who had floated over the ball over from the left-wing, and then
central defender Gerry Taggart, who rose from among the pack to apply a crucial
flick-on.
After the half-hour, Norwich's 16-year-old striker Ryan Jarvis robbed Taggart
of possession, but failed in an attempt to chip Walker, who was called upon
again to smother Jarvis' shot on the turn inside the six-yard box.
Shortly before the interval, Norwich keeper Robert Green was given another
scare when a Dickov shot from range was spilled but, with Benjamin closing in,
defender Craig Fleming cleared the danger in no-nonsense style.
Leicester had the ball in the net again three minutes after the restart when
another Summerbee set-piece was arrowed to the back post from the left wing for
an unmarked Jamie Scowcroft to head goalwards
Green managed to block the effort, but although Brian Deane pounced on the
rebound and shuffled the ball over the line, this time the goal was chaled off
by the referee's assistant for offside.
But with a little more than 16 minutes remaining, the visitors, who had seen a
Darel Russell effort tipped over by Walker, redressed the balance when
substitute Mark Rivers found the net from range.
A midfield interchange involving Holt and Phil Mulryne had seen the ball
worked to Rivers, a replacement for Jarvis 10 minutes earlier, who unloaded from
25 yards and saw his low shot beat Walker before rebounding into the net off the
foot of the right-hand post.
Teams:
Leicester: Walker, Impey, Elliott, Taggart, Rogers, Scowcroft,
McKinlay, Stewart (Summerbee 16), Dickov, Deane,
Benjamin (Ashton 80), Summerbee (Wright 81).
Subs Not Used: Flowers, Heath.
Goals: Benjamin 20.
Norwich: Green, Mackay, Fleming, Shackell, Russell, Holt,
Mulryne, Henderson (McVeigh 84), Drury, Roberts,
Jarvis (Rivers 65).
Subs Not Used: Abbey, Briggs, Crichton.
Goals: Rivers 74.
Att: 31,639
Ref: R Olivier (Sutton Coldfield).