A STORMY match at Carrow Road saw Chris Martin's 90th-minute free-kick rescue a precious point for the Canaries against MK Dons.

Referee Kevin Friend was booed off the pitch after a match which saw nine yellow cards handed out to Paul Ince's Dons side - including a second yellow for Aaron Wilbraham who had given his side a first-half lead.

Mr Friend also booked Chris Martin and disallowed a goal in the process in the first half and Grant Holt in the second half, during which he also dismissed claims for a penalty when Wilbraham appeared to handle in his own box.

Holt's booking means he will be suspended for City's next two games away to Leyton Orient on Tuesday and Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

After the match boss Paul Lambert praised the never-say-die attitude of his squad who once again gave it their all in their determination not to be beaten.

"I thought they were excellent I really did. They gave it everything and the goalkeeper's had one of those games where he's saved a lot. But I'm delighted with the way they kept on going," he told First News.

On the claims for a penalty against Dons goalscorer Wilbraham, he commented: "He wouldn't have looked out of place in the NBA. Michael Jordan couldn't have done better! About the only thing he hasn't done is catch it. It was one of those where everybody in the ground could see it was a penalty except the officials - it beggars belief."

City started brightly wearing the new home strip, having received permission from the Football League to give the fans a sneak preview of the eye-catching new colours.

Gary Doherty twice went close to opening the scoring inside the first seven minutes, with Mark Carrington blocking his third-minute effort on the line and then Dons 'keeper Willy Gueret acrobatically palming his next effort over the bar.

In the 14th minute a superb surging run down the right from Russell Martin saw him fire a lovely low pass across the box to the on-rushing Holt - but his effort back across the face of goal was denied by the feet of the diving Gueret.

On 18 minutes Holt was a whisker away again - this time turning Drury's cross from the left inches over the bar as the Canaries continued to threaten.

But in the 20th minute City fell behind when Wilbraham side-footed a soft goal home from close range after the Norwich defence failed to deal with Peter Leven's corner from the right.

In the 35th minute Holt was denied an equaliser twice in the space of ten seconds as first Gueret made a smart save to beat away his 14-yard drive and then he headed narrowly over as Anthony McNamee crossed the rebound back into the danger area.

Then came a controversial moment two minutes later when the ball ended up in the back of the Dons' net after Gueret missed Darel Russell's looping cross under pressure from Chris Martin and one of his own defenders. Referee Kevin Friend made few friends in the Barclay as he not only disallowed the 'goal' but also booked Martin, presumably for a foul on the 'keeper.

As the game approached half-time Mark Randall was cautioned for a clattering challenge which left Simon Lappin prone on the turf. And in the dying seconds of the half Leven was also booked for a foul on Korey Smith.

Immediately after the break Declan Rudd reacted well to smother Leven's shot at the foot of his near post. Then on 52 minutes Wilbraham joined the list of Dons players in the referee's notebook as he inexplicably deliberately handled the ball when walking back from an offside position.

Five minutes later a great cross whipped in from the left by Lappin was headed just over by Holt as Norwich battled to get back on level terms.

Gueret was in good form and made another fine save to keep out Holt's drive on the hour after Chris Martin teed up his strike partner in the box. In the next attack former Canary Luke Chadwick was booked for taking away the legs of McNamee.

As the game heated up Holt was booked, apparently for deliberate handball, meaning he will miss the games against Leyton Orient and Charlton Athletic through suspension. Then within a minute Sean O'Hanlon became the fifth Dons player to get a card as he was cautioned for a cynical foul on Holt as the Canaries skipper powered towards the edge of the area.

Holt seemed to be involved in everything and in the 69th minute his firm header from Russell Martin's cross was unfortunately straight at Gueret.

Three minutes later Dons countered swiftly after a spell of City pressure and Declan Rudd came off his line well to deny Jermaine Easter when the visiting striker threatened to stretch MK's lead.

Oli Johnson had already come on for McNamee, so when Stephen Elliott came on for Smith City had four strikers on the pitch with ten minutes to go.

Almost immediately there was another moment of controversy when Gary Doherty's attempt to hook the ball back into the danger area clearly struck the raised arm of Wilbraham in the box - but referee Mr Friend waved away protests from the entire City team for a penalty.

Dons substitute Sol Davis became the sixth of their players to be booked when he tripped Johnson from behind and then in the 89th minute the yellow card was out again - this time followed by a red as goalscorer Aaron Wilbraham was sent off for a second bookable offence.

And they were punished in the most effective way possible when from the resulting free-kick Chris Martin curled the ball into the right-hand corner of the net from 23 yards for the equaliser.

Carrow Road erupted - and there was a huge roar when no less than six minutes of injury time were signalled by the fourth official. There was still time for the visitors to pick up yet another booking - this time for Mark Carrington for time-wasting.