Norwich City somehow took their Carrow Road unbeaten streak beyond the year mark as they came from 3-1 behind to draw with Middlesbrough.

Borja Sainz’s brace combined with a Seny Dieng own goal to earn a point for the Canaries, who completed their second comeback of the sort in just six days after a 2-2 draw with Preston in midweek.

The opening was the antithesis of that Preston trip from the hosts, who were attentive and dangerous right from the off. Sainz first benefitted when he strode into the box and overhit his cross on the counter-attack, before Emiliano Marcondes’ arrowed strike whistled just wide of the far post.

Ben Doak warned them not to get complacent when he found room on the edge of the box in the sixth minute, although his poor cross failed to make the most. The same was true when Anfernee Dijksteel drove beyond Callum Doyle and attempted to centre, but those warnings meant little by the eighth minute.

Unsurprisingly the reason for that was Sainz, who exchanged passes with Marcondes before smashing home perhaps the best, at that point, of his 10 goals this term from 25 yards.

It didn’t take long for the visitors to equalise, however, as one of the negative themes of the Preston draw reared its ugly head. George Long won’t have been pleased with his goalkeeping for either of the Lilywhites’ goals, and he was at fault again when Tommy Conway’s volley squirmed past him at the near post.

The irony was that he’d pulled off a fine save to deny Finn Azaz shortly beforehand, but few will remember that even now. They may recall the stop he made in the 37th minute instead, when Azaz looked certain to complete the turnaround. Long got down quickly to deny him though, keeping the scores level at a crucial time for City.

That appeared to have given them the impetus when Ante Crnac went close with his volley, but from the resulting corner the turnaround was complete. Doak led the charge, steaming past Anis Ben Slimane and finding Dijksteel. He set up Conway for a tap-in and the away end went wild.

Things went from bad to worse for Norwich on the brink of half time with another simple finish, Azaz finally finding the net when Doak set him up five yards out.

There was plenty of work to do for Johannes Hoff Thorup’s men going into half time, but he stuck with the team that started the game for the beginning of the second period. Though their performance was an improvement on the chaotic ending to the first half, it showed little signs of a comeback, and the Dane quickly shuffled his pack.

Oscar Schwartau and Amankwah Forson were introduced shortly after Doak had gone close to a goal of his own, perhaps a reminder of why change was needed.

It didn’t seem to have come when Jose Cordoba gave a penalty away three quarters into the game but Long, of all people, gave the home support hope when he denied Conway a hat-trick.

That hope was rewarded just four minutes later when Sainz again produced a stunning strike, cutting in with the perfect first touch and smashing into the top corner.

The strike set up a grandstand finish, and Schwartau almost produced an equaliser. He started a slick move beautifully with a nutmeg and pass wide to Sainz, but he finished it less majestically when he turned Callum Doyle’s centre behind for a goal kick.

It was all forgotten when the equaliser came, perhaps fortuitously but no less joyfully for those in the Barclay End. Kellen Fisher’s centre caught Dieng out when it ended up on target, the Boro goalkeeper inadvertently kicking into his own net.

City weren’t happy with a draw and went in search of a winner, but those attempts came to a grinding halt when key man Kenny McLean was sent off. Referee James Bell had already received plenty of criticism from those in the stadium, and that wasn’t helped when he brought the red card out for McLean’s lunging challenge.

Neither team was able to find the elusive winner, settling for a point at the end of a manic afternoon of Championship action.

Norwich now have six days to recover before facing improving Cardiff in the Welsh capital, having escaped defeat in three tricky games but still missed out on their first win since the international break.

NORWICH CITY:


Substitutes:

37. Mair (GK)

3. Stacey (on for Marcondes, 84)

5. Hanley

14. Chrisene

18. Forson (on for Crnac, 64)

19. Sorensen (on for Sainz, 90+1)

21. Gordon (on for Sargent, 90+1)

29. Schwartau (on for Slimane, 64)

41. Forsyth

Head Coach: Johannes Hoff Thorup

Bookings: Riddersholm (assistant head coach, 45), Slimane (58)

Sent off: McLean (87)

Goals: Sainz (8, 72,), Dieng (OG, 80)

MIDDLESBROUGH:


Substitutes:

31. Brynn (GK)

4. Barlaser

5. Clarke

9. Latte Lath (on for Conway, 71)

10. Burgzorg

11. Jones (on for Doak, 71)

12. Ayling (on for Dijksteel, 82)

16. Howson (on for McGree, 81)

17. Hamilton

Head Coach: Michael Carrick

Bookings: Morris (23), Edmundson (25), McGree (70)

Goals: Conway (13, 40), Azaz (45+3)

KEY MOMENTS

3 - Marcondes finds space in the Boro half and drives low towards the corner, but his effort whistles wide.

8 - GOAL NORWICH (Sainz): Doyle finds Sainzin the Middlesbrough half and he exchanges passes with Marcondes before firing a superb finish past Dieng from distance.

11 - Long does well to deny Azaz after he sends Fisher's header bobbling goalward on the volley.

13 - GOAL MIDDLESBROUGH (Conway): Borges' cross finds Conway at the back post and his volley squirms past Long at the near post.

20 - Conway rounds off a slick move with his shot, forcing Duffy into a sturdy block.

24 - A clever free-kick routine allows McLean to test Dieng with his deflected cross, but he turns it behind.

26 - McLean's cross narrowly evades Duffy at the back post.

28 - Marcondes flicks Crnac's low cross wide.

37 - Azaz looks certain to make it 2-1 when he finds room 12 yards out, but Long gets down well to deny him.

40 - Crnac's well-struck volley is headed for the bottom corner when Dieng dives to turn it behind for a corner.

40 - GOAL MIDDLESBROUGH (Conway): Doak counters rapidly and finds Dijksteel, who sets Conway up for a tap-in.

42 - Sainz races through on goal from Marcondes pass and kisses the outside of the post with his shot.

44 - Another quick counter gives McGree the chance to make it 3-1, but his shot is straight at Long.

45+3 - GOAL MIDDLESBROUGH (Azaz): Long saves Hackney's shot but Doak gets to the rebound and finds Azaz in space for the equaliser.

Half time: Norwich City 1-3 Middlesbrough

61 - Doak drives into the Norwich box and fires wide of the far post.

65 - Sainz controls Marcondes' flick-on and volleys at goal, lifting just over under pressure.

68 - PENALTY SAVED MIDDLESBROUGH (Conway): McGree comes from behind Cordoba as he attempts to clear, nicking the ball first and winning a penalty. Conway steps up in search of his hat-trick, but his tame effort is saved by Long.

72 - GOAL NORWICH (Sainz): Doyle lays off for Sainz, who cuts in with the perfect first touch and fires into the top corner from 18 yards.

75 - City attack quickly and find Doyle with a fierce ball in that Schwartau diverts wide.

80 - GOAL NORWICH (Dieng OG): Fisher's cross turns into a shot and tests Dieng, who makes a mess of it and kicks into his own goal.

87 - RED CARD (McLean): McLean stops a Boro counter with a lunging challenge and is sent off as a result.

Full time: Norwich City 3-3 Middlesbrough

PLAYER RATINGS

Long 6, Fisher 7, Duffy 5, Cordoba 6, Doyle 5, McLean 6, Marcondes 7, Slimane 5, Crnac 6, Sainz 9, Sargent 5. Subs: Schwartau 7, Forson 5, Stacey 6, Sorensen 5, Gordon 5.

MATCH STATISTICS

Possession: 51pc-49pc

Shots: 9-15

On target: 3-8

Corners: 3-2

Fouls: 15-7

Added time: 2 mins/6 mins

Attendance: 26,487 (1,501 Middlesbrough)

Referee: James Bell