The Canaries wait for FA Cup glory goes on! Big spending Leicester City came to Carrow Road wanting victory more and left with their name in the draw for the next round.
In a very lively traditional cup-tie Leicester deservedly took the lead early on through Sean St Ledger's header, although Wes Hoolahan equalised from the penalty spot before half-time. As play switched from end-to-end in the second half David Nugent produced a stunning run and winning goal to take the Foxes into the quarter-finals.
Norwich City's exit cannot even be blamed on Paul Lambert naming a weakened side, for the City boss has always paid respect to the FA Cup and this game was no different. He started with the majority of the side that stunningly won 3-2 at Swansea last weekend, although one surprise ommision from not just the starting line-up but the bench was talisman striker and Club Captain Grant Holt.
Back in the squad for the first time since September, was James Vaughan being named as one of the substitutes, after injury had kept him out of contention until he played for the City Reserves against West Brom midweek.
Nigel Pearson, for mid-table Leicester, also named a strong line-up making just four changes, retaining his first-choice strikers David Nugent and Jermaine Beckford.
The Championship side started the match far quicker and livier than the Canaries and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring in just the fifth minute, through Sean St. Ledger's close range header. The opportunity was created by Ben Marshall, when he delivered their third corner of the game and gave City's keeper Jed Steer no chance.
Marshall, making his full Leciester debut, was again in the centre of the action as he looked to make in-roads into the home area when he was fouled by Elliott Ward, which earnt the City defender the game's first booking. Tom Kennedy took the resulting free-kick but was comfortably claimed by Steer.
Next it was David Nugent looking to unsettle the home side, but his cross was cleared by Leon Barnett. But in the 23rd minute Leicester gave the Canaries a way back into the game conceding a very soft penalty when Kasper Schmeichel clearly pushed Elliott Bennett over.
Schmeichel must have thought he'd redeemed himself when he saved Wes Hoolahan's strike, but the Irish midfielder was the quickest to react and put the ball past the keepers right to equalise. This lifted the home crowd and players, who gradually took control of the game.
The Foxes certainly weren't making it easy for them and in the 30th minute, Ward had to be very alert. Marshall's inswinging corner fell to Beckford, who's shot was cleared off the line by the City defender. With the Leicester players claiming the ball had in fact crossed the line, the officials waved play on, although replays later showed Pearson's side were harshly treated.
James Morison's surging run towards Schmeichel's goal was hampered by Wes Morgan, but Mike Dean showed some very intelligent referring and only blew for the foul and called play back when no advantage materialised. Before David Fox took the freekick, Morgan also making his full debut for the Foxes, was shown the yellow card by Mr Dean. Barnett's resulting shot was saved by Schmeichel.
HALF-TIME: City 1 Leicester 1
Neither manager made any changes at the start of the second period and like the first half Leciester started the stronger with first Lloyd Dyer narrowly heading over and then David Nugent easily getting in behind the home defence.
There was better from the Canaries in the 53rd minute when Adam Drury's run down the left found Anthony Pilkington, but before he could get his cross in, the ball deflected out for a corner. Fox's delivery found Leon Bennett at the near post, whose first time shot was cleared off the line by Ritchie Wellens. Just minutes later and the same scenario was repeated!
This was enough for Lambert, who made a double substitution up-front bringing on Vaughan in place of a subdued Morison and Aaron Wilbraham in place of Jackson.
Soon after the Leicester boss made his own double change, although surprisingly one was a defensive switch with Paul Konchesky on for Tom Kennedy. But the other was an attacking one with Nathan Delfouneso on-loan from Aston Villa replacing Marshall.
City looked to asert themselves winning successive corners in the 67th minute and this was followed up moments later with Vaughan heading Bennett's cross inches over Schmeichel's crossbar.
But it was all to be in vain as Leicester struck with that vital winning goal in the 71st minute. Beckford's clever header in to the path of Nugent set him up to run at and through the City defence, before cooly putting the ball past Steer.
Hoolahan did create an opening for himself but his curling shot was just wide of the left upright and with just 20 minutes left to retrieve something from this compelling FA Cup tie, Lambert threw on the combatitve Bradley Johnson in place of Fox.
Despite a late concerted effort to get an equaliser from the home side, the Foxes stood firm. Their last attempt in the penultimate minute of normal time, saw Wilbraham latch onto Hoolahan's through ball before testing Schmeihel. But summing up the Canaries fortunes the Foxes keeper was more than equal to it and Vaughan couldn't get the rebound on target and with that went any hopes of FA Cup progession.
With many of the big guns already out of the competition, Norwich have spurned a glorious opportunity to progress into the quarter-finals, something they last achieved 20 years ago!
FULL-TIME: City 1 Leicester 2