Norwich City 2, Burnley 2

The Canaries were on the verge of their fourth Championship home defeat of the season when the game entered time added on, but the midfielder thumped in his fourth goal of the season to save the day.

Substitute Chris Martin had earlier given City hope with a 71st minute goal from Crofts' centre, after Paul Lambert's men had trailed 2-0 at the interval, courtesy of two from Burnley's Martin Paterson.

Paterson, returning in place of top scorer Chris Iwelumo, justified his recall when he scored twice in the space of seven minutes, his first goals of the season, and City could have few complaints at the half-time score.

But the interval introduction of Anthony McNamee lifted the Canaries and they were well worth the point they gained, marred only by a forthcoming ban for Crofts, who was dismissed by referee Trevor Kettle after a foul on Tyrone Mears earned him his second yellow card.

City boss Lambert relied on the same eleven and same seven substitutes involved in last week's 3-1 defeat at Cardiff.

Burnley boss Brian Laws made one change after the 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers. Striker Paterson, who had been a victim of the bug that afflicted the squad last week, replaced eight-goal top scorer Iwelumo, who had to settle for a place on the bench.

Both sides wore black armbands following the death last weekend of former City player and coach and one-time Burnley manager John Benson.

Burnley delivered the first shot on target after 90 seconds but Eagles' left-footer was straight at goalkeeper Ruddy.

Eagles was involved again after six minutes when he cut in from the right touchline and left fly but his effort crashed into the boards behind Ruddy's goal.

City won the first corner with Barnett getting on the end of Lappin's kick and Holt flicking it towards Jackson, but the striker was crowded out.

Burnley won a corner when Paterson's dangerous cross whistled across the face of the goal. Alexander's first kick was headed out for a second flag-kick by Russell Martin, then Lappin headed away from another poor Alexander kick. The danger was not clear, however, and when Alexander's follow-up cross was flicked on, Ward headed only just over his own bar when it seemed it should have been Ruddy's ball.

Paterson had a shot squeeze out for a corner as Burnley pressed again, while City had threatened little.

Things livened up in the 20th minute, however, with Jackson getting on the end of a through-ball by Barnett but unable to get any power into his shot.

Then Lappin had the chance for his first goal for more than three years, but his header from Russell Martin's cross was saved by 'keeper Grant.

Burnley grabbed the lead, however, in the 26th minute when Paterson accepted a straightforward chance created by Rodriguez and Mears.

A neat reverse pass by Rodriguez found Mears on the right side of the penalty area and his low cross from the byline gave Paterson the chance to sidefoot home.

It was a whole lot worse for City seven minutes later when Paterson doubled Burnley's lead.

An excellent through-ball by former City loan midfielder Marney fell between Barnett and Ward to Paterson and although Ruddy managed to parry Paterson's shot, it spun behind him and just trickled over the line.

As City tried to find a way back, a cross by Korey Smith swept across the Burnley six-yard line with no one able to get a touch, but the home side had not given Grant too much to worry about.

HALF-TIME: Norwich City 0, Burnley 2

Lambert replaced Lappin with McNamee at the start of the second half.

Within seconds of the restart, Holt took a knock and was hobbling but did not require treatment.

Holt and Hoolahan combined to play McNamee through on the right but his attempted curler struck Fox, prompting vain appeals for handball from the crowd Crofts, following up, fired over the top.

There was an opening when a corner was played to Hoolahan, whose cross was met with a firm header by Barnett, but Grant smothered the ball close to the line and the linesman's flag was, in any case, already up.

City made a second change after 54 minutes with David Fox replacing Steven Smith. Russell Martin switched to left-back and Korey Smith to right-back with Fox slotting into midfield.

Barnett headed over from a McNamee corner as City began to show more urgency.

A volley by David Fox was then blocked by Alexander, and Mears made a vital saving header from a McNamee cross under pressure from Holt.

Lambert used his final substitute in the 64th minute with Chris Martin replacing Jackson.

Barnett headed wide from a Hoolahan cross midway through the half as, thankfully, play was concentrated almost entirely in the Burnley half.

With 20 minutes left, Burnley made their first change with Wallace sent on in place of Eagles.

City's brighter second half showing finally earned some reward in the 71st minute when substitute Martin scored with an excellent finish to an excellent move.

McNamee found Hoolahan and his pass to Crofts enabled to midfielder to cross low to Martin, who turned on a sixpence before tucking home a left-foot shot from close range.

McNamee was desperately close to equalising in the 76th minute when his low drive crashed against the post with Grant beaten but rebounded to safety.

Burnley boss Laws made a second change when Cork replaced Marney with

12 minutes left, then three minutes later Iwelumo replaced double scorer Paterson.

Referee Kettle showed the first yellow card of the afternoon to Burnley's Elliott, for time wasting, a peristent feature of the visitors' second-half play that angered the home crowd.

There was a blow for City six minutes from time when Crofts brought down Rodriguez and was booked – his fifth yellow card of the season, bringing a one-match ban.

A Hoolahan cross from the left looked set to deliver another opening but Holt was penalised, rather harshly it seemed, for fouling keeper Grant.

In the second minute of stoppage time, City drew level when Crofts scored his fourth goal of the season.

Chris Martin tried to set up namesake Russell Martin for a shot and as the ball spun away, Crofts controlled it and fired an unstoppable left-foot shot past Grant.

Chris Martin almost scored a dramatic winner with a shot that sizzled wide moments later.

Crofts, however, did not see the afternoon out when he was sent off for a second yellow card after bringing down Mears.

RESULT: Norwich City 2, Burnley 2