Full-time: Norwich City 1 Bristol City 2

Bristol City's Championship play-off quest is gathering impressive momentum after this thrilling victory at Carrow Road.

Gary Johnson's team completed a notable double over the Canaries to move to within three points of sixth-placed Preston North End.

City have a game in hand on the Lancastrians and are making up ground rapidly, courtesy of four successive wins.

Cole Skuse put the Robins on course for victory, netting his first goal since since March 2006 after 14 minutes.

Norwich came roaring back and levelled 10 minutes later, Jonathan Grounds turning the ball in from close range after Carl Cort's header had come back off an upright.

But City restored their advantage a minute before half-time. Canaries skipper Gary Doherty was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Dele Adebola and Bradley Orr stepped up to beat David Marshall from the penalty spot.

Norwich's 10 men applied sustained pressure after the break, but City held out reasonably comfortably to extend their unbeaten run to seven games.

As expected, Bristol City were boosted by the return of leading scorer Nicky Maynard. Fully recovered from the dead leg which ruled him out of games against Charlton and Barnsley, the nine-goal striker replaced Slovakian import Peter Styvar, who was relegated to the bench.

Canaries boss Bryan Gunn made just one change from the side which held Championship front-runners Wolves to a 3-3 draw at Molineux in midweek, recalling left winger Wes Hoolahan to replace injured England Under-21 international Ryan Bertrand.

Both sides entered the game emboldened by good form, Norwich boasting a four-match unbeaten run and City having gone six Championship games without deefeat.

In confident mood following a record of five wins in their last six outings, the visitors started as though they meant business, forcing Norwich back and creating the better of the early openings.

Dele Adebola tested goalkeeper David Marshall with a looping effort, while Nicky Maynard narrowly failed to apply a finishing touch to Michael McIndoe's left-wing cross and Louis Carey headed wide from a corner.

Fellow centre-back Liam Fontaine came even closer to breaking the deadlock, meeting McIndoe's out-swinging corner with a firm header which beat Marshall and came back off the cross bar.

It came as little surprise when City took the lead on 14 minutes. McIndoe's lofted pass set Maynard free in the right channel and his drag back presented Skuse with a gilt-edged opportunity to side-foot his first goal in almost three years.

By contrast, the Canaries were restricted to half-chances, Hoolahan shooting wide from range and former Bristol Rovers striker Jamie Cureton losing control at the crucial moment and allowing Adriano Basso to save at his feet.

But City continued to play the more incisive football and Gavin Williams sent a full-blooded drive inches over the bar before McIndoe stung Marshall's hands with a rasping shot from the edge of the penalty area.

When Norwich equalised, their goal came against the run of play. Sammy Clingan directed a free kick towards the far post, Carl Cort's header deflected off an upright and centre-back Grounds was perfectly placed to turn the loose ball into an unprotected net.

Bristol City should have scored their second within a minute, Skuse opening up the home defence with a cross from the right which Maynard somehow contrived to head wide of a gaping target from six yards.

City suffered a further setback on the half-hour mark, the impressive Skuse succumbing to injury and being replaced by Northern Ireland international Ivan Sproule.

The action was fast and furious and chances continued to materialise at both ends, Darel Russell's goal-bound shot being blocked by Jamie McAllister and Adebola then testing Marshall with a flicked header.

Adebola was at the heart of City's best moments and the big striker again opened up Norwich's back-pedaling defence when surging past Peter Drury, onlky for his cross-cum-shot from a narrow angle to fly across the face of goal and elude Maynard's out-stretched boot by a matter of inches.

No matter. City regained their lead on the stroke of half-time. Marshall fluffed an attempted clearance, kicking the ball straight at Adebola, who controlled and then bore down on goal.

He was just about to shoot when his legs were taken by Norwich skipper Doherty, who was promptly shown a red card by referee Andy D'Urso.

Up stepped Bradley Orr to send Marshall the wrong way from the penalty spot, in the process restoring City's advantage and registering his first goal of the season.

Needing to replenish his depleted defence, Canaries boss Bryan Gunn sacrificed one of his strikers at half-time, sending on centre-back and captain Mark Fotheringham in place of Cureton and leaving Cort to operate as a lone marksman.

Despite being reduced to 10 men, Norwich were still able to force the issue following the resumption and the visitors endured some anxious moments, notably when Lee Croft beat his marker and shot straight at Basso from a narrow angle.

Penned into their own half for long periods, City were dependent upon swift counter-attacks and one of these culminated in Sproule shooting narrowly wide of Marshall's goal from 16 yards out, while Orr sent another effort sailing over the bar.

For all their possession, Norwich were still unable to break down a resolute City defence and the home side's frustration intensified when substitute Fotheringham saw his long-range drive deflect off a team-mate and behind for a goal kick.

Hoolahan was next to try his luck, Basso going down to palm away his fierce shot and Louis Carey following up to clear the danger.

D'Urso incurred the wrath of the home crowd moments later, turning down vehement appeals for a penalty when Orr charged into Drury inside the 18 yard box. The defender went to ground rather too easily and the Essex official waved away East Anglian protests.

Norwich were now throwing caution to the wind and City desperately required the reassurance of a third goal. They almost had it when substitute Stern John unleashed a snap shot from the edge of the 18 yard box, only for Marshall to produce a full-length diving save.

And the keeper again came to the home team's rescue eight minutes from time, hurling himself to his left to keep out Sproule's low shot.

Referee: Andy D’Urso (Essex)