Norwich City 2 Charlton 2

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Charlton let a two goal lead slip as Norwich came from behind to claim a point at Carrow Road, writes Harry Low.

Grant Holt's header in the 92nd minute made it all square after Wes Hoolahan had pulled a goal back for the hosts shortly before half time.

Earlier Deon Burton had put Charlton in front with his fifth of the season - and fourth in two games against the Canaries - before Jonjo Shelvey headed the Addicks' second of the afternoon following neat work by Lloyd Sam down the right.

The result means that Phil Parkinson's men slip to second after Leeds beat Gillingham 4-1 at Elland Road.

A bright opening from both sides saw Norwich have the first chance with Jon Otsemobor forcing Rob Elliot into action.

Charlton took the lead 17 minutes in from a Shelvey corner when Deon Burton, who had changed his boots minutes earlier, fired a powerful header towards the bottom right hand corner.

The home side had chances to get back into the game after the goal with Jens Berthe Askou and Holt - who should have done better when one on one with the keeper - going close.

Charlton responded with some pressure of their own, Nicky Bailey forcing Fraser Forster into action before Lloyd Sam fizzed the ball across the six yard box.

It was no surprise then that the team who condemned the Canaries to League One on the final day of last season extended their lead.

Six minutes before half time a free kick inside the Norwich half came to nothing before captain Bailey's cross-field ball picked out Sam who did well to get to the by-line and present 17-year-old Shelvey with the simplest of finishes from six yards.

This seemed to fire up Paul Lambert's side and two minutes before half time a quickly taken throw put Hoolahan through and he finished with aplomb.

Norwich were reinvigorated and they came out in the second half seeking to build on their goal. Despite putting lots of balls into Charlton's penalty area they didn't carve out too many openings and it was the home keeper Forster who made the first real save of the half from Shelvey, who sought to double his tally.

Both sides made substitutions with Sam and Shelvey, who started to look tired as the second half wore on making way for Scott Wagstaff and Izale McLeod.

Norwich then turned up the heat; Jose Semedo did brilliantly to block Hoolahan's shot before the Addicks' number one made a wonderful one-handed save from Korey Smith.

McLeod had a chance to win it for the visitors five minutes from time but put his shot wide of the right hand post when one on one, a miss that would prove costly.

Two minutes into injury time a ball from Simon Lappin, who caused the back four problems all day, saw Eliot, who had punched without conviction throughout the second half, come for the ball only to be beaten by a Grant Holt header despite the Addicks' appeal for a foul on the keeper.

A small section of the fans clashed in the Jarrolds stand following the equaliser and it could have been worse for the men in red but for some heroic defending from Christian Dailly and some wayward shooting from Cody McDonald.


Charlton: Elliot; Richardson, Youga, Dailly, Llera; Sam (Wagstaff 73), Semedo, Racon, Shelvey (McLeod 73), Bailey; Burton.

Subs (not used): Randolph, Solly, Sodje, Spring, Tuna.

Norwich: Forster; Otsemobor, Drury (McVeigh 90), Askou, Spillane; Daley (Martin 71), Russell, Smith (McDonald 89), Hoolahan, Lappin; Holt.

Subs (not used): Rudd, Stephens, Adeyemi, McVeigh, Cureton.

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