City Women played out a 1-1 draw away to AFC Sudbury on Tuesday night, with Tamsin Medd-Gill on the scoresheet for the Canaries.
The point keeps the Canaries top of Division One South East but now without Holly Kennard, who was sent to the dressing room early after a second yellow card.
A floodlit MEL Group Stadium welcomed a Canaries side looking to bounce back to their best against a steadily improving AFC Sudbury.
It took just three minutes for City to call the Sudbury goalkeeper Nina Heollo into action as a Shannon Shaw flicked effort was palmed away for a corner.
The subsequent short-corner routine found Freya Symonds, who whipped a sweet cross onto the head of high-rising Medd-Gill to open the scoring in the fifth minute.
The hosts responded well, creating a handful of half-chances on the break, but it was Norwich who continued to dominate for large spells of the opening 20 minutes.
Sudbury’s best chance of the opening half an hour came down the right flank, taking a headed block by Ceri Flye to thwart a dangerous ball into the area with oncoming traffic.
City continued to push and very nearly doubled their advantage on 30 minutes, but Shaw couldn’t quite direct her effort goalward.
The quarter-hour approaching half-time saw end-to-end football, with both sides creating numerous opportunities, the hosts enjoying the lion’s share heading into the break.
Norwich started the second half the livelier of the two sides, using Kennard’s pace in behind to create crossing opportunities and apply pressure to the Sudbury area. In the 48th minute, one of these crosses found Snelling, who took the ball beautifully on the turn but couldn’t find the target.
Jessica Allen continued to provide an outlet for AFC Sudbury, firing just over the crossbar in the 52nd minute after a clever turn – the first real scare for City.
Ellie Smith replaced Ella Powell just shy of an hour and looked to make an instant impact. A quick break from midfield and a lovely turn and set from Snelling saw Symonds striking the ball from all of 30 yards out, cannoning off the crossbar and leaving all Norwich fans at the MEL Group Stadium wishing it had goal-line technology, but no goal given.
City’s frustrations would grow deeper in the 70th minute as a looping ball over the top found the ever-present Allen to fire home into the bottom corner and level the scoreline.
As Norwich chased a winner, gaps opened in behind and a late challenge from Kennard to prevent a counter would see her receive a second yellow with just under 15 minutes to play.
A resilient Canaries display would see Sarah Quantrill called into action on several occasions in the latter stages of the game as neither side could force a late winner.
The Canaries are back in action on Sunday, September 29, against MK Dons Women in the first round of the FAWNL Plate, the fixture now taking place at The Nest.
AFC Sudbury: Meollo, Rossiter, Jeffery, Bezant, Howell, Lambe, Penny (Goodwin 50), Frazzoni, Allen (Provan 90), Edwards (Creaton 85), Nagib (Drake 50)
Unused subs: Jarvis
Goals: Allen (71)
Bookings: Goodwin (73)
Norwich City: Quantrill; Medd-Gill, Flye, Strauss, Moore; Hailes, Powell (Smith 56), Symonds (Daviss, 80); Kennard, Shaw, Snelling
Unused subs: Densley, Cook, Booty
Goals: Medd-Gill (5)
Bookings: Smith (63), Kennard (65, 77), Quantrill (68)
Red card: Kennard (77)
HT: 0-1
FT: 1-1
Venue: The MEL Group Stadium