A fantastic strike from Natasha Snelling was not enough for a win as City Women were held to a 1-1 draw by league leaders Real Bedford Women.
The striker put the Canaries ahead after half an hour but Pirates top-scorer Abbie Bensted found an equaliser in the second half.
Andy Cook named an unchanged side for the tie, only bringing in Ellie Smith to the bench for the first time since October following injury.
Sarah Quantrill was required to be alert early on as a shot from distance was fired on target, but the City stopper parried away for a corner.
City's first chance came from a hopeful ball goalward by Snelling, who spotted Chloe Samson off her line, but the forward's shot from distance was collected with a big stretch from the Bedford goalkeeper.
A Bedford corner was well placed to set up a header from Sofia Stovold in the box, but the forward narrowly missed the target.
Breon Grant hit the side netting after breaking free down the right approaching the half-hour mark, which looked to be Bedford's best chance of the half.
The deadlock was then broken after 31 minutes, thanks to a fantastic strike from Snelling, set up perfectly by Holly Kennard.
The striker took an airborne touch to control the ball then rifled her shot into the back of the Bedford net.
A free-kick from a dangerous position taken by Layla O'Brien was no trouble for Quantrill, who moved low to gather the well-struck effort.
The first half was seen off with a dangerous looking press from the hosts that was cleared to safety by the Canaries, sending them in ahead at the break.
Some fantastic defending from Lauren Tomlinson and Ceri Flye was required early in the second 45 minutes deep into City's half, both recovering possession for the Canaries down the right side.
A Bedford corner that followed had Quantrill punching behind a close-range effort that would have certainly been the equaliser the hosts were pushing for.
A rifled effort from the edge of the area by the Pirates' Amber Gaylor was inches too high of the target at the hour mark.
O'Brien replicated that feat shortly after, narrowly firing over the crossbar.
City's first dangerous attack of the second half came from a Freya Symonds ball to Olivia Cook, whose cross into the box was only cleared as far as Snelling, denied her second by a Bedford block.
With just over 15 minutes left on the clock, Smith was introduced to play, but soon after the hosts found their equaliser.
Bensted found space on the edge of the area to shoot into the bottom corner of City's net.
A fantastic link-up between Kennard, Smith and Snelling saw the winger get a shot goalwards but her effort had too much power on it and flew over the bar.
Another diving save from Quantrill kept the scores level at the 90-minute mark, punching away a powerful Bedford strike.
The final chance to steal all three points came from Kennard, after a ball from a long throw fell to her feet in a busy box, but her effort was blocked and cleared to deny a winner.
City are next in action on Sunday, February 9, back at The Nest in another Division One South East tie.
Real Bedford: Sansom, Warren, Puddick, Biggadike (Hayes 76), Stovold, Bensted, Evans, Grant, Meola, O'Brien, Gaylor.
Unused subs: Wilson, McLean, Guy, Newman.
Goals: Bensted (75)
Bookings: Gaylor (74), Bensted (82)
Norwich City: Quantrill; Daviss (Moore 83), Flye, Strauss, Tomlinson; Morran, Booty (Smith 73), Symonds (Todd 73); Cook (Shaw 84), Kennard, Snelling.
Unused subs: Medd-Gill, Moore.
Goals: Snelling (31)
HT: 0-1
FT: 1-1
Venue: The Eyrie