A DRAMATIC equaliser from Darel Russell in the 94th minute of a heated match at the Priestfield Stadium saw ten-man City grab their second gutsy point in the space of seven days.

The Canaries were controversially reduced to ten men and found themselves a goal behind in the 33rd minute as Fraser Forster was adjudged to have brought down Curtis Weston after he pushed the ball wide of the Norwich 'keeper.

Referee Paul Taylor decided not only had contact been made - something Forster later denied - but that the offence merited a red card for the on-loan Newcastle stopper.

When Simeon Jackson slammed the penalty past sub 'keeper Declan Rudd it left City facing an uphill task against a feisty Gills side promoted from League Two last season via the play-offs.

But Norwich have displayed a steely resolve of their own in recent games. After youngster Declan Rudd made some fine saves to keep them in the game, Russell sent the Yellow Army into raptures by heading home the rebound after Grant Holt's header bounced off the top of the crossbar deep in injury time.

After the match City boss Paul Lambert said he was delighted once again by the strength of character his players showed to fight right to the very end and claim a well-deserved point.

He told First News: "I thought they were brilliant and carried on where they left off last week. They battled really well, especially as we were down to ten men for most of it, and I felt they definitely deserved something out of the game.

"They never wilted and kept on going and going and going, which is really pleasing."

Lambert said he didn't have a clear view of the incident which saw Forster sent off and the Gills take the lead from the spot - but he did feel City might have had a penalty of their own after Grant Holt was challenged by home 'keeper Simon Royce in virtually the last action of the game.

He commented; "I didn't see the first one so I can't really comment until I have had a look at it. Fraser says he didn't touch him, but I will have to see it for myself. After the game I asked the ref but I was more concerned with why if he'd given that one he didn't give the one against Grant right at the end there.

"Some you get and some you don't, but it does seem that decisions on penalties are going against us at the minute."

Full-Time - That is all she wrote! An amazing finish to a match, that City were the better side in until the sending off of Fraser Forster. City deserved a point from the game and keep going right until the very end and got their reward four minutes into the allocated five of stoppage time courtesy of a Darel Russell header.

90+5 - There is still time for Holt to go down under a Royce challenge after knicking the ball away from the onrushing 'keeper but neither assistant or referee are moved.

90+4 - Gillingham throwing men in the way, firstly Holt and then Hoolahan for a corner. Up comes sub 'keeper Declan Rudd on his senior debut, delivery from the right, is deep but headed back by Holt off the angle and back into the mix and Russell leaps highest to head in to send the City players, staff and fans into delirium. Paul Lambert is doing his best David Pleat impression out there at the moment.

90th - Five additional minutes to be played.

89th - Adam Miller swings in a cross from the left after just keeping it in play but Drury bravely beats Oli to the header.

86th - Grant Holt and Josh Gowling are booked for an off the ball incident in the penalty area while waiting for Lappin's free-kick, which sails over.

82nd - Adam Drury is booked for a challenge on Curtis Weston on the far touchline.

81st - Adam Miller replaces Simeon Jackson for Gillingham.

80th - Oh what a save! Jackman rolls the ball back for Curtis Weston but as he slams the ball goalwards from 14 yards Rudd pulls off a one-handed wonder save to deny him.

79th - Darel Russell lets rip with a fierce effort which is a couple of yards over the bar.

76th - Jackson hides his head under his shirt after missing another glorious chance to effectively kill the game - shooting wide after running on to Nutter's neat pass. A minute later it's Jackson again...but there's no 'third time lucky' as again he is off target, blazing high, wide and handsome.

74th - A sublime bit of skill from Grant Holt as he hits a clever reverse cross back into the Gills' area towards Cody McDonald - and as the home defence frantically toe it clear they concede a free kick 30 yards out. Russell tries his luck with a speculative effort but it flies well over.

72nd - A poor pass from Askou sees Russell robbed in midfield and suddenly Simeon Jackson is racing free into the box - but Rudd is equal to the task and saves well at his feet.

66th - Gillingham make some changes as John Nutter comes on for Andy Barcham and Jack Payne replaces Kevin Maher.

62nd - A concerted spell of City pressure sees them camped in Gillingham's last third for a good few minutes but unable to find a way through, a combination of inferior numbers and a packed home defence proving too difficult to break fown.

58th - Chris Palmer shows great skill to cut inside Smith before blasting a fierce shot goalwards from a tight angle - but Rudd is alert to his first real test and palms the ball behind at his near post.

55th - Heated stuff again - Grant Holt crashes to the turf in the box as he is sadnwiched by the Gillingham centre-backs, but his claims for a penalty are ignored by referee Mr Paul Taylor. Gillingham look to break in their next attack but Andy Barcham is left writhing on the deck after a crunching but fair tackle from last man Micky Spillane. After lengthy treatment he is able to resume.

54th - Dennis Oli rises to meet Palmer's cross but his looping effort sails over the angle of post and bar - Declan Rudd had it covered for good measure.

51st - The attendance here today is announced as 7,550.

49th - Good interchange of passes between Holt and Lappin, but the midfielder's cross is claimed comfortably by Simon Royce.

47th - City are under pressure straight away and Askou heads behind under pressure from Palmer's cross.

46th - Gillingham get us underway, no changes to the ten men representing Norwich City.

Half-Time - Referee Paul Taylor blows for half-time at the KRBS Priestfield Stadium, a pulsating first half, which sees City one down after a controversial penalty and on-loan goalkeeper Fraser Forster sent off. The reaction of the Hexham-born 'keeper I think goes a way to suggesting there wasn't contact. Only had the benefit of real time first viewing as there are no replays on offer. Time for Paul Lambert to regroup his troops for the second half.

45+2 - "Who'd have thought you could get so many officials worse than what we had in the Championship!!! They are just dreadful at this level, I've seen better in sunday league!" - IMT

45+1 - Mark Bentley is booked for scything down Lappin. Free-kick City from the right, great delivery by Hughes, met by Spillane from six yards but just over.

45th - Gillingham tails are up, right-back Barry Fuller overlaps and delivers a fizzing cross that eludes Oli at the near post and shaves the head of Jackson behind him. A minimum of three additional minutes to be played.

40th - An injured Jon Otsemobor is replaced by Stephen Hughes meaning Korey Smith switches to right-back. An orthodox if you can call it that 4-4-1, Lappin on the left of midfield, Russell and Hughes in the middle with Hoolahan on the right, Holt up top on his own.

38th - Another flashpoint as Josh Gowling appears to stand on and kick out at a prone Grant Holt. Simon Lappin is straight over to referee Paul Taylor, who brings the two players together and has a word but nothing else.

33rd - Fraser Forster has been sent off! A nice flick by Simeon Jackson sets Curtis Weston through who rounds Forster and goes down. Not sure if there was any contact between Forster and Weston but referee Paul Taylor is convinced there was and shows no hesitation to show Forster the red card. It is the laws of the game but surely one goalscoring opportunity has been replaced by another courtesy of a penalty, only easier, it was a genuine attempt to play the ball by Forster. Declan Rudd replaces Luke Daley for his first senior City appearance. Jackson sends Rudd the wrong way with a cool penalty and goes over to celebrate in front of the City fans.

32nd - City again playing around the edge of the Gills box but can't find an opening, the ball falls to Smith on the edge and he drills narrowly wide on his left shot.

27th - Simon Lappin soon follows for needlessly kicking the ball away after the award of a Gillingham free-kick.

25th - Captain Barry Fuller is the first player in referee Paul Taylor for pushing Hoolahan over trying to get him out of the way to take a free-kick. The two challenge again as Hoolahan stays out on the left and the referee calls them over to try and calm things down.

20th - Good cross from Hoolahan from the right, exactly the sort of service for Holt, which mets the cross with a firm header but is blocked by the defender, potentially by the arm. Couple of City players appeal and all of the travelling fans appeal, of which there approximately a thousand.

19th - Word for the officials sporting a luminous pink offering this afternoon.

18th - "Korey Smith enjoy his game in midfield, sounds he was our 'Norwich Makelele'!!!" - David Lee

16th - City trying to work on opening on the right, Holt waiting patiently for the delivery, which never comes as Hoolahan is allowed a yard of space on the edge of the area and turns Palmer inside and out before cutting onto his favoured left and letting fly a fierce shot that veteran Simon Royce palms away.

15th - A heavy touch from Spillane on the edge of his own area is almost punished by Oli, but the Irishman is able to throw his body in the way of the shot and take the pace out of it.

12th - Whatever the formation is, the full-backs have been given licence to get forward, Otsemobor's deep cross finds Adam Drury. When City get forward, they aren't afraid to leave just Spillane and Askou back marking Simeon Jackson. Certainly a positive mindset.

9th - Still deciding whether City have lined up with a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield or 4-3-1-2. Either way Daley is playing in attack alongside Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan tucked it behind them two.

8th - A quick break by Luke Daley, City broke up the play and let the youngster have a run up the left. He cut inside his man and angled a shot just wide of the far post, good positive running from Daley.

7th - Another City free-kick, again Smith fouled, this time on the right, the Gills defence manage to scramble the ball clear.

6th - Gillingham with the first attempt at goal, Andy Barcham the former Spurs trainee met Chris Palmer's cross from the left but Fraser Forster in the City goal watched that one wide.

5th - Another free-kick, this time Askou is adjudged to have fouled his man at the far post. A rather robust sliding challenge from Dennis Oli on Korey Smith won the set-piece, referee just had a quiet word in the ear early on.

4th - Quick free-kick taken down the left but Hoolahan's driven cross eludes all.

3rd - "Yeah Joe, half of the team from the academy or our youth system. I think if we want to win something, we need to build our own team and not rely on loan players liked many managers had made the same mistakes. Young players will only become good if given games! Come Smith, Daley and Spillane!!!" - David Lee - Hi David, Gareth here starting us off on 'On The Ball'.

1st - City to kick-off, from our right to left, Russell and Hoolahan get us underway, Spillane attempted ball forward left to Holt is blocked. City are defending the goal behind where the travelling contingent are situated.

Currently being treated to some 'interesting' Gillingham songs, as we are just minutes away from kick-off.

Word just came through that our academy side beat Chelsea 2-1 at Colney this afternoon.

"Looking at the bench, doesn't look like the manager is going to sit back and play for a draw!" - crabbycanary

A bright sunny day at the KRBS Priestfield Stadium (renamed for sponsorship reasons) and City will be wearing their white away strip for the first time since its introduction in the summer.

"Love to see Paul Lambert had faith on our youngsters, three of them from the Norwich academy and that's the way to success, come on Norwich!" - David Lee from Hong Kong - Four were playing academy football last season - Smith, Daley, Adeyemi and Daley plus Martin and Spillane are academy products. Jamie Cureton and Darel Russell came through our youth system, before it was called an academy.

Team news from Priestfield Stadium, where manager Paul Lambert names an unchanged starting eleven. Stephen Hughes is back fit and returns to an attacking bench. Gillingham start with top scorer Simeon Jackson in attack with Dennis Oli and Andy Barcham joining in from wide positions - Jackson has eight for the season so far.

CITY: Forster, Otsemobor (Hughes 40), Drury, Holt (c), Hoolahan, Spillane, Lappin, Russell, Daley (Rudd 35), Smith (McDonald 68), Askou. Subs not used: Cureton, Martin, Adeyemi, McVeigh.

Gillingham: Royce, Fuller (c), Maher (Nutter 66), Bentley, Palmer, Jackson (Miller 80), Barcham (Payne 66), Gowling, Jackman, Oli, Weston. Subs not used: Erskine, Wynter, Julian (GK), Rooney.

Referee: Paul Taylor

To have your say on the match, simply head over to our 'Message Board' found under the 'Fans' tab and post your comments on the thread entitled, 'City v Gillingham - Official Thread'. To post on the message board you will need to be registered on canaries.co.uk, if you are not then complete this simple online registration form.

Pictures courtesy of Fred Robinson