Snapshot: Norwich claimed a dramatic and spectacular late winner to dent Cardiff's promotion chase hopes in the early kick-off on Saturday. The man of the moment for the Canaries was on loan Manchester City and Welsh U21 star Ched Evans who smashed a thirty five yard drive into the top corner for the spoils after Cardiff had dragged back a first half stoppage time equaliser which looked like being enough for a point.

Evans had been responsible for the early Norwich lead in a first half that was lacking a cutting edge and level of quality that we had grown accustomed to in recent months. The young striker took advantage of a cross from another loan star, Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand to fire low and into the bottom corner for a fourteenth minute lead.

There was plenty of endeavour from both sides, but for the most part and for the rest of the half the goalkeepers were largely redundant. Cardiff however managed to scrape their way back into the match inside the final minute of stoppage time as Gavin Rae smashed a low ball into the net after set up by Ledley and Hasselbaink.

The second half was a similar to the first in that clear chances were lacking. Norwich at the start were still brighter than their hosts, though Cardiff came into the game more as the clock ticked on. We were set for the 1-1 draw with minutes remaining, but Evans' strike put paid to any hopes of a point as the striker smashed the ball in true Roy of the Rovers style for a late win.

Chronological Report: Cardiff were out of the blocks quickly and caused a stir inside the opening sixty seconds as Paul Parry whipped a ball in from the right which was blocked. It fell to Whittingham who fired a dangerous ball himself that was forced out from possibly finding the top right corner by the last man.

The forward momentum was predominantly delivered through the home side in the early exchanges as Ledley, Parry and Rae looked most dangerous. Norwich after seven minutes made their most telling attacking contribution after winning a corner on the right. Canaries skipper Fotheringham delivered the ball precisely into the area, with Gary Doherty climbing highest to connect with a header. The power was there, but the direction was lacking as the ball flew safely over the bar.

After the high tempo opening the match settled down to allow Norwich more time on the ball alongside their hosts. Over the course of the next ten minutes the chances and quality fizzled out as passes went astray, much to the frustration of the home support.

After fourteen minutes it became worse. Norwich had settled enough to begin to show their quality as on loan Chelsea prospect Ryan Bertrand sent a great ball back from the right of goal to the waiting feet of Welsh U21 International and on loan Manchester City star Ched Evans. Evans, placed centrally on the edge of the area made no mistake as he despatched a clinical low shot though the mix and into the bottom right corner for the lead at their first time of asking.

GOAL: CARDIFF 0 - 1 NORWICH. Evans. 14 mins

The half continued with Cardiff pushing for parity, but lacking the quality that we had become accustomed to. Long passes were incomplete, long throws from Capaldi on the left were misguided and all too often Norwich were doing enough to chase and hound Cardiff enough to see possession stolen.

The match continued in that tone for the majority, which saw the Canaries take the best of attacking play and points for desire - but all the while neither team testing each keeper seriously.

Cardiff after thirty minutes saw a chance come close as Ledley sent a ball in from the left which couldn't be controlled in the clearance by Doherty. Unfortunately the ball skipped up too quickly to the path of Paul Parry at close range and the makeshift striker couldn't stab the ball home.

While Norwich were still dangerous, it was positive to see Cardiff edging their way back into form slightly as the clock ticked on. In the space of two minutes Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink showed his quick thinking and qualities with two efforts that were desperately close - the efforts going down well and revitalising the City support after a difficult spell.

With five minutes of the half remaining Ched Evans should have made it two nil after an irregular attacking move that saw the ball bounce around the City area in a makeshift game of head tennis. The ball finally came to Evans in space who headed the ball goalwards, but straight at the waiting Oakes.

Cardiff showed spirit to continue to the death, and fired forward whenever possible. Their reward came in the third of four additional minutes as Joe Ledley broke on the right, found Jimmy in the area, who instead of taking the expected option of a shot decided to pick out the on running Gavin Rae. Rae used his strength to burst in and fire the ball low into the goal for the equaliser. It was unexpected, but then the best gifts always are.

GOAL: CARDIFF 1 - 1 NORWICH. Rae. 45+3

HALF TIME: CARDIFF 1 - 1 NORWICH

The opening ten minutes of the second half were fairly uneventful as Cardiff looked to turn their attention to scoring towards the Grange End. From a Norwich perspective, Ched Evans continued to look the ever increasing prospect with pace and composure, while Lee Croft chased every ball open. What was lacking from both was final third finesse, due in the main to the lack of delivery.

We reached the seventy minute markwith little other to report on than the fact that the match had degenerated into a battle with no clear indication on who would capitalise on either a moment of quality or a mistake. Norwich made a change to personnel, bringing on Darren Huckerby for Lee Croft - the Canaries midfielder stepping on fresh from a pantomime banter session with the lower grandstand Grange End.

Moments after the change Cardiff won their first real dangerously placed free-kick, though Whittingham's drive from thirty yards failed to clear the first man. Three minutes later Darel Russell was felled by Kevin McNaughton at the other end, with Mark Fotheringham aiming to take advantage of the sunlight in Oakes' eyes - though his curling shot from the left of the area failed to creep in at the top right corner.

The momentum was building along with tension levels as we reached the final ten minutes. Cardiff were holding marginally better of the play going forward, though it was as tight as ever and there for the taking for both teams. Dave Jones then made a change of his own, introducing Steve Thompson for Hasselbaink.

Cardiff's best chance to take the lead fell to Paul Parry after some solid build up and a clever cross from Capaldi on the right. Parry powered a header from the middle of the area, but Marshall dived to equal the task to tip the ball wide of goal.

The match looked as if it would take something special to forge a winner - and that came three minutes from time as Paul Parry lost possession just inside the Norwich half, seeing the ball set to Ched Evans who skipped forward before smashing an absolute thunderbolt from all of thirty five yards which left Oakes no chance in the world. It was in fairness the type of goal worthy of winning any match.

GOAL: CARDIFF 1 - 2 NORWICH. Evans. 87 mins

Cardiff rallied after the disappointing late goal, but for their efforts could see no way through. The match ended after four additional minutes to send the long travelled Canary fans home ecstatic. We now look to Tuesday night to hopefully put our campaign back on track. Coventry City await.

FULL TIME: CARDIFF 1 - 2 NORWICH

Richer Sounds Fans Man of the Match: Paul Parry as voted by Elliott Biggs of Cardiff

Cardiff: Oakes, McNaughton, Johnson, Loovens, Capaldi, Whittingham, Rae, McPhail, Ledley, Parry, Hasselbaink (Thompson 80).
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Purse, Blake, Ramsey. Goals: Rae 45.

Norwich: Marshall, Bates, Shackell, Doherty, Camara, Croft (Huckerby 70), Russell, Fotheringham, Bertrand (Pattison 83), Dublin, Evans.
Subs Not Used: Gilks, Otsemobor, Pearce. Booked: Bates, Evans. Goals: Evans 15, 88.

Att: 11,937

Ref: Richard Beeby