Norwich City finished another dramatic Carrow Road afternoon with a win, beating struggling Luton Town 4-2.
Goals from Ante Crnac (2), Emiliano Marcondes and Borja Sainz earned the Canaries a scoreline that defies the even nature of the game, two late strikes sending the home crowd into raptures as their side went ninth in the Championship.
City started the better of the sides, dominating territory and possession before Sainz struck the outside of the post. They struggled to create chances after that, however, and within 20 minutes they were behind.
The opener was of their own making, Anis Ben Slimane attempting an ambitious pass across his own box that allowed Elijah Adebayo to stroll through for a simple finish.
But just five minutes later, the hosts were level. Crnac was clearly full of the confidence provided by a goal in Tuesday's win over Plymouth, flicking up Amankwah Forson's touch to volley home from close range.
If that wasn't enough to affirm that he'd turned a corner in yellow and green, his next strike was. He was the beneficiary of a diligent run from Jack Stacey, who forced the ball back from the byline to give his team-mate a tap-in.
Norwich were deserved leaders going into the break, but it was the Hatters' fast second half start that was rewarded. Again sloppy defending contributed, a corner dropping in the six-yard box for a free Jacob Brown to slot home.
From there the game erupted into bursts of frantic energy, but quality was in short supply. It took until the 80th minute for the next semblance of it, and it was no surprise that Crnac was involved again.
He took Shane Duffy's pass in superbly to create space in the box, waiting for the perfect time to gift Marcondes a simple goal.
Six minutes later City had the game-sealer. Substitute Onel Hernandez beat Amari'i Bell all ends up before squaring for Sainz, whose strike was only marginally more difficult than his team-mate's.
Head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup will be delighted with a win that until late on didn't look like it was coming, as his side rounded off an NR1 double-header with their 10th goal and sixth point.
NORWICH CITY:
Substitutes:
12. Long (GK)
5. Hanley
10. Barnes (on for Crnac, 87)
14. Chrisene
19. Sorensen (on for Marcondes, 87)
25. Hernandez (on for Forson, 61)
26. Nunez (on for Slimane, 74)
29. Schwartau (on for Sainz, 87)
40. Hills
Head Coach: Johannes Hoff Thorup
Bookings: Hernandez (63)
Goals: Crnac (25, 33), Marcondes (80), Sainz (86)
LUTON TOWN:
Substitutes:
23. Krul (GK)
5. Andersen
7. Moses (on for Chong, 45)
8. Krauss (on for Baptiste, 75)
10. Woodrow (on for Brown, 67)
13. Nakamba
17. Mpanzu
25. Taylor (on for Morris, 75)
29. Holmes
Head Coach: Rob Edwards
Bookings: McGuiness (71), Woodrow (73)
Goals: Adebayo (20), Brown (48)
KEY MOMENTS
4 - Fisher's header falls to Brown in the box and he drags wide with his left foot with time to think about the shot.
5 - Marcondes wins the ball in the Luton box and it falls for Sainz, who hits the outside of the near post under pressure.
18 - Baptiste slides the ball into Chong and he flashes across goal from a tight angle, Stacey sliding to divert narrowly over the bar.
20 - GOAL LUTON (Adebayo): Slimane attempts an ambitious pass across his own box and Luton capitalise, allowing Adebayo to beat Duffy and finish.
25 - GOAL NORWICH (Crnac): Luton fail to clear their lines and the ball breaks for Forson in the box. His flick finds Crnac,
28 - Marcondes plays Sainz in, but Mengi gets back in time to block his shot.
33 - GOAL NORWICH (Crnac): Stacey refuses to give up on Duffy's ball forward and cuts the ball back from the byline, allowing Crnac to stride onto a simple finish.
43 - Kaminski makes a great save to deny Duffy after he firmly meets Marcondes' corner.
45+2 - Somehow nobody diverts Brown's low cross after he robs McLean high up.
Half time: Norwich City 2-1 Luton Town
46 - Norwich break through Stacey and he finds Sainz, who chests down and volleys straight at Kaminski.
48 - GOAL LUTON (Brown): The hosts fail to clear a Luton corner as it drops in their six-yard box, giving Brown an easy finish to equalise.
54 - Marcondes flicks Slimane's cross toward the far post, but it drifts comfortably wide.
58 - Gunn is left stranded as he misses Morris' cross, but Adebayo lifts his header over.
62 - Sainz stretches to reach Stacey's cross, but can't get it on target at the back post.
80 - GOAL NORWICH (Marcondes): Duffy fires a pass into Crnac in the box and he spins beautifully before unselfishly setting Marcondes up for a tap-in.
86 - GOAL NORWICH (Sainz): Hernandez beats Bell all-ends-up before squaring for Sainz, who has a simple finish for 4-2.
Full time: Norwich City 4-2 Luton Town
PLAYER RATINGS
Gunn 6, Stacey 8, Duffy 6, Doyle 7, Fisher 6, McLean 6, Slimane 5, Marcondes 8, Forson 5, Sainz 7, Crnac 9. Subs: Hernandez 7, Nunez 6, Barnes 5, Schwartau 5, Sorensen 5.
MATCH STATISTICS
Possession: 70pc-30pc
Shots: 16-12
On target: 6-3
Corners: 7-5
Fouls: 9-12
Added time: 2 mins/4 mins
Attendance: 26, 719 (1,888 Luton)
Referee: Josh Smith
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