Norwich City vs Everton. Premier League.
Carrow RoadAttendance27,027.
Saturday 12 December 2015 17:23, UK
Everton paid the price for missing a string of first-half chances as they were pegged back to draw 1-1 at Norwich.
Romelu Lukaku scored for the seventh game in a row to put the Toffees ahead after 15 minutes.
But the visitors wasted a number of opportunities to add to their lead before the break, with Leighton Baines striking the post on his first Premier League start of the season and Lukaku also going close on a few occasions.
The misses proved costly as Wes Hoolahan equalised for Norwich from close range in the 47th minute.
Cameron Jerome could have even won it for the Canaries but he blazed over the bar from Robbie Brady's clever backheel.
The draw is Everton's third in a row in the league and comes in the same week as a 1-1 stalemate with Crystal Palace in which they also created the majority of the goalscoring chances.
The visitors suffered a scare in the warm-up as John Stones appeared to land awkwardly on his ankle after going up for a header.
But the defender started the match and the Toffees were soon celebrating the opening goal.
Gerard Deulofeu picked up the ball on the right touchline and swung in a deep cross that Lukaku headed in at the back post.
Arouna Kone went close to doubling the advantage a few minutes later but saw his effort saved by Declan Rudd, starting again in place of John Ruddy.
Norwich struggled to create opportunities at the other end and were fortunate to only go in one down at the break.
Lukaku should have finished Tom Cleverley's cross, Baines hit the woodwork and Rudd saved from Kone before Lukaku fired narrowly wide.
There was another injury scare to Stones as he fell off the pitch clutching his knee, but again he was fit to play on.
Everton created another chance deep into injury-time as Lukaku curled just wide of the post from inside the area.
Norwich had not managed a shot on target in the first half but they drew level less than two minutes after the break.
Half-time substitute Ryan Bennett had a header cleared off the line by Ross Barkley and Hoolahan slid in to finish the rebound.
The goal changed the complexion of the game completely as Norwich came to life and started to create chances of their own.
Brady saw a shot deflected over and Hoolahan and Jerome were unable to turn in a corner from close range.
Jerome then missed a golden opportunity in the 71st minute when he fired over from eight yards after Brady's backheel.
Rudd pulled off a good stop to deny Gareth Barry at the other end as both sides pushed for a late winner which never arrived.
Player ratings
Norwich: Rudd (8); Wisdom (6), Martin (7), Bassong (6), Olsson (7); Redmond (7), O'Neil (6), Tettey (6), Brady (7); Hoolahan (7); Jerome (6).
Subs: Howson (6), Bennett (7).
Everton: Howard (6), Baines (6), Funes Mori (6), Stones (6), Coleman (6), Barry (7), Cleverley (7), Kone (6), Barkley (6), Deulofeu (6), Lukaku (7).
Subs: Gibson (6), Mirallas (6).
Man of the match: Declan Rudd.