Norwich City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 2 – Owls denied by late Mario Vrancic leveller

The visitors looked like they would come away from Carrow Road with a shock win after hitting back to lead 2-1, but the Sky Bet Championship leaders are renowned for their late comebacks and pulled off another to move five points clear of Sheffield United and Leeds United with just three games remaining.

The Canaries had taken the lead in the 19th minute through Marco Stiepermann but the Owls were always in the game and equalised just past the half-hour mark when Fernando Forestieri netted with a brilliant long-range effort.

When Steven Fletcher scrambled the ball home early in the second half with what appeared to be his arm Daniel Farke’s men were under pressure, but they produced a typically spirited response to force a dramatic draw which all but extinguished the visitors’ outside play-off hopes.

Wednesday had the ball in the net in the 15th minute after a slick move, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.

But a home goal was coming. Stiepermann worked himself into some space on the right-hand edge of the box after an interchange with Hernandez and let fly from around 20 yards, with his low shot beating an unconvincing dive from Cameron Dawson – a late replacement for Keiren Westwood – and finding the bottom corner.

There seemed to be little danger when Forestieri picked up possession midway inside the City half but once he had a sight of goal it was a different matter, with the Argentinian unleashing a wonderful shot from all of 35 yards into the top corner, giving Tim Krul no chance.

The visitors then stunned the home faithful by taking the lead in the 53rd minute with a controversial effort from Fletcher.

After being picked out at the back post by a fine inswinging cross from Liam Palmer, the Scotland international appeared to bundle the ball past Krul with his arm, but referee Geoff Eltringham allowed the goal stood.

But the hosts won a free-kick on the edge of the area and Vrancic curled it home to earn the Canaries a precious point.

Norwich City: Krul, Aarons, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Lewis (Srbeny 84), Trybull (Vrancic 80), McLean, Leitner, Stiepermann, Hernandez (Klose 90), Pukki. Unused substitutes: Tettey, Hanley, Cantwell, Oxborough.

Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Iorfa, Lees, Hector, Palmer, Marco Matias, Hutchinson (Pelupessy 33), Onomah (Bannan 67), Boyd, Forestieri (Joao 76), Fletcher. Unused substitutes: Fox, Winnall, Nuhiu.

Referee: G Eltringham (Tyne & Wear).