Michael Turner earned the point Norwich City's endeavour more than deserved off their old boss Paul Lambert with a 1-1 draw at 10-man Aston Villa.

All eyes were on Paul Lambert's arrival and his reception from the visiting fans before kick-off – and in the end the impressive City following opted to ignore the Villa boss entirely, and sing only for their current charges.

And the attitude seemed to work as City enjoyed the better of a fairly awful opening half, only to find themselves a goal behind at the break.

Wes Hoolahan had City's best chance, put through by Grant Holt but seeing his finish strike the toes of goalkeeper Brad Guzan before drifting wide.

The Canaries will also feel they should have had a penalty as Villa captain Ron Vlaar shoved Elliott Bennett on the edge of the box, but referee Phil Dowd ignored all appeals.

And City were made to pay for that – and an all to regularly poor final ball – on 27 minutes.

Michael Turner and Sebastien Bassong got in a muddle to leave Christian Benteke unmarked in the area, and the Belgian international coolly slotted inside John Ruddy's far post from Brett Holman's cross.

While Villa started the second half brighter, it was City whose hopes took a significant turn for the better on 52 minutes as a soft booking for Joe Bennett earned him a second of the 90 and an early bath.

From there, City's onslaught began. Chance after chance, change after change. But at the very moment it looked like it might not be Chris Hughton's day, one of his summer signings arrived to draw the visitors level with 11 minutes left.

Guzan pulled of his second superb save of the match as Holt bore down on goal, but from the resulting short corner from substitute Robert Snodgrass, Hoolahan made time and space before his cross was deftly flicked in off the far post by the centre-back Turner.

City had all the territory and a few chances after that, but could not provide the ultimate irony for Lambert with a late winner as both sides left with a point.

• Aston Villa (4-3-1-2): Guzan; Herd, Lowton, Vlaar, J Bennett; Albrighton, El Ahmadi, Delph, Holman (Weimann, 76); Benteke (Bent, 70), Agbonlahor (Lichaj, 54). Unused subs: Given, Westwood, Bannan, Ireland.

• Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Ruddy; R Martin (R Bennett, 46), Turner, Bassong, Garrido; Tettey, Johnson (Morison, 70); E Bennett (Snodgrass, 64), Hoolahan, Pilkington; Holt. Unused subs: Rudd, Barnett, Howson, Jackson.

• Goals: Villa: Benteke (27). City: Turner (79)

• Bookings: Villa: Bennett (29), Herd (63)

• Sent off: Villa: Bennett (52)

• Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

• Attendance: 33,184