DION Dublin's first goal at Carrow Road of the season was not enough to continue the Canaries' winning streak, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hull City.
Dublin had risen highest to loop a header into the top corner on 19 minutes from Russell's cross to give the home side a deseved lead.
Indeed, only an outstanding save from visiting 'keeper Bo Myhill prevented Lee Croft from doubling their advantage moments later as Norwich continued to enjoy the better of the opening period.
But after the break the visitors were a different proposition, and after forcing David Marshall into a point-blank block, Frazier Campbell made no mistake a minute later to level with a soft effort from 10 yards.
Norwich responded well, with Mark Fotheringham and Russell both going close to grabbing a winner. But it ended honours even, with the Tigers returning north with a point and the Canaries stretching their unbeaten league run to 13 games.
Glenn Roeder made one change from the side which beat Cardiff 2-1 on Saturday, with Keiran Gibbs handed his Norwich debut at the expense of Mo Camara.
Arsenal loanee Gibbs came in on the left side of midfield, with Ryan Bertrand moving to left-back.
Otherwise it was a case of 'as you were' for City, who were looking to stretch their unbeaten run to 13 games and move to within a point of Phil Brown's side.
The visitors were without leading scorer Dean Windass, presumably through injury, although the Tigers still had some exciting attacking talent in their line-up, with former Bolton stars Jay-Jay Okocha and Henrik Pedersen joining ex-England international Nicky Barmby in the side.
It was the Canaries who kicked off the match, with Carrow Road packed to the rafters in another home sell-out.
It had been a nondescript opening to the game, with neither side able to retain the ball for long enough to create any chances of note. And it took until the 12th minute for the Carrow Road crowd to be given something to get excited about.
A Croft showed terrific skill to push the ball around stand-in left-back Pedersen before skipping round the other side of the flatfooted Dane to get to the by-line. He fizzed a cross to the edge of the six-yard box, which was met by Evans in the air. But the 19-year-old was unable to repeat his heroics of Saturday, this time guiding his effort over the bar.
All the same, it had been an encouraging sign from the Canaries, with Fotheringham next to get the fans on their feet with some neat skill on the edge of the box which was only let down by his final ball into the near post.
Pedersen had his hands full down the Hull left, with the veteran striker not especially enjoying his night so far against the likes of Croft.
And it was little surprise that when the Canaries did take the lead in the 19th minute, it came from a cross from that position.
Neat play by Evans saw the ball fed to Russell away on the right, and with no defender closing him the City midfielder floated a perfect ball towards Dublin, who was loitering close to the penalty spot.
Even then the 38-year-old had plenty to do, but he showed all his years of experience to rise above Michael Turner and loop a perfect header over 'keeper Boaz Myhill and into the top corner for his first goal at Carrow Road this season.
The goal had the home crowd in good voice, but they were almost silenced a minute later when Hull almost equalised following an almighty scramble in the area. Indecisive defending saw the ball run loose to the edge of the area, with Ashbee flashing a shot towards goal from the edge of the area.
But with the ball seemingly on its way into the net past a flat-footed Marshall, Hull midfielder Ryan France merely succeeded in blocking the effort with his back, with Doherty tidying-up behind him.
After a dull opening, the match had suddenly sprung into life, and on 23 minutes it needed a stunning save from Myhill to prevent City from doubling their lead.
Turner, still reeling from Dublin's goal, showed nerves in the area when trying to shield the ball from the hard-working Evans, and the Welshman wasted no time in picking his pocket on the corner of the six-yard box. Even then the on-loan Man City man appeared to be tugged back by the panicking Turner, but play carried on, with the loose ball finding its way to Croft just inside the area.
His left foot curler looked a dead-cert goal, but the unsighted Myhill reacted brilliantly to turn the shot away one-handed for a corner.
Norwich were starting to produce some excellent passing football as they continued to expose Hull's deficiencies down the right. Even right-back Matthew Bates was getting in on the show, producing a delightful one-two with Croft which led to another City corner on the half-hour mark.
It was not all one-way traffic though, with the Canaries showing a lack of conviction in defending their own box a minute later, allowing Ashbee to hit a shot into the ground from Okocha's corner which bounced just wide.
It was still proving to be a tight game, with Evans looking to do even better than his weekend Ninian Park howitzer on 35 minutes with an audacious shot from inside his own half which flew well wide.
All the same, you couldn't criticise the lad for lacking any confidence.
While City were looking to build most of their attacks down the right, Hull were trying their luck down the opposite side of the pitch, and on 39 minutes Bertrand earned a booking for tugging back Sam Ricketts as the forward threatened to break past him and into the box.
From the free-kick, Okocha picked-out the head of Wayne Brown eight yards out, but the big defender could only power his effort well over the bar under pressure from Dublin.
Half time: Norwich City 1-0 Hull City
Neither side opted for any changes at the break, with the game still finely balanced only just in City's favour thanks to Dublin's first half header.
And on 51 minutes only a truly outstanding save from Marshall prevented Hull from levelling things.
Walton's cross from the right evaded City's defence, and Frazier Campbell appeared to have the easiest of chances to nod the ball home from little more than five yards out.
But the Scottish international stuck out a left hand to spectacularly turn his point-blank header onto the bar and away for a corner.
It was a great save, but a minute later and the good work was undone when the Tigers did get on the scoresheet.
A simple ball through the middle bisected City's defence, and with Marshall rooted to his line it was left to Shackell to try and get back to beat Campbell to the ball. Unfortunately the defender was unable to keep his feet after getting a partial tackle in on the nippy forward, with the striker able to get his shot away which squirmed under the 'keeper from 10-yards out.
It was the softest of goals to concede, and it almost got worse on 54 minutes when Doherty decided it was his turn to lose his footing in a crucial area, with Marshall needing to block with his feet to deny Campbell a second.
It was now Hull making all the running, and on 58 minutes Roeder clearly felt the time was right to change things around, making a double substitution. Off went Bates and Gibbs, and on came Jon Otsemobor and Matty Pattison in a like-for-like switch.
Otsemobor in particular looked hungry to show Roeder what he'd been missing, instantly linking-up well with Croft on the right after showing a trademark burst of pace.
The substitutions had certainly livened up a fast fading City side, with Fotheringham drawing gasps from the home crowd on 67 minutes with a 20-yard effort which shaved the roof of Myhill's net with the 'keeper grasping at thin air.
The skipper went close again on 71 minutes, seeing a goalbound effort blocked before Russell saw a similar effort diverted wide by a white shirt after collecting the subsequent short corner.
The home side were in the ascendancy again, and as minute later Darren Huckerby was brought on at the expense of Croft to give the Tigers' defence something else to think about.
And on 74 minutes another goalmouth scramble saw City close to regaining the lead three times.
First Russell saw a fierce half-volley brilliantly saved by Myhill, with the ball running loose to Shackell who had come up the pitch for a free kick.
The defender wanted a touch too many, allowing Turner to get in a vital block. Even then the ball ran back to Russell, whose raking effort went a yard wide of Myhill's left post.
City's fans were beginning to sense it might be one of those nights, but they had at least established a foothold back in a game they were in danger of losing control of in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
The home fans were beginning to become infuriated by what they saw as time-wasting by the away side, particularly from 'keeper Myhill, who was understandably in no hurry to take any of his goal kicks.
Visiting boss Brown was also starting to feel the wrath of the home fans, as he leapt onto the pitch in excitement when a shot from France whistled just wide of Marshall's far post.
To their credit, Norwich continued to try and pass their way through the Hull defence, with the visitors doing well with a number of last ditch tackled on the edge of their own area.
Myhill's insistence on taking an age over his kicking was rewarded with a yellow card by referee Andy Hall as the game entered the first of four minutes of stoppage time.
And despite some more late pressure, the Canaries had to be content with a point.
Full time: Norwich City 1-1 Hull City
Norwich City: Marshall, Bates (Otsemobor 58), Shackell, Doherty, Bertrand, Croft (Huckerby 72), Fotheringham (C), Russell, Gibbs (Pattison 58), Dublin, Evans. Subs: Gilks, Pearce.
Hull City: Myhill, Ashbee (C), Walton, Turner, Barmby (Marney 73), France, Brown, Pedersen, Ricketts, Campbell, Okocha (Featherstone 81). Subs: Tyler, Doyle, Welsh.
