Norwich City 2-1 Derby County: Liam Gibbs bags winner for Norwich

Liam Gibbs scored his first Norwich City goal in three years to help beat Derby County at Carrow Road and realistically end the Rams’ Championship play-off hopes.

Mohamed Toure missed a penalty before opening the scoring with his ninth goal in his past 10 Norwich appearances before David Ozoh, who netted the winner when the sides last met, levelled.

Gibbs then picked the perfect moment to end his goal drought with only his second goal for the Canaries.

Vladan Kovacevic saved Carlton Morris’ header in the 96th minute on the line to deny Derby an equaliser.

The Rams’ away form has hugely undermined their promotion bid and this was their sixth defeat in their past seven away games.

Although Derby remain eighth, they have slipped four points outside the play-offs with just two games remaining.

Norwich wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring in the ninth minute when Derry Murkin brought down Amankwah Forson and Toure’s weak penalty was comfortably saved by Derby goalkeeper Jacob Zetterstrom.

Injury-hit Derby, who were missing Patrick Agyemang, Bobby Clark, Rhian Brewster, Dion Sanderson and Callum Elder, did not wake up and Norwich dominated, with Forson hitting a left-foot curler just over the bar.

Toure made up for his penalty miss by cracking home the opener on 33 minutes when Forson fed the Australia striker on the right and he fired home off the underside of the bar.

Norwich should have had more and their carelessness cost them in the 54th minute when Ozoh robbed the hesitant Kenny McLean before playing a one-two with Morris and shooting home right-footed.

The hosts restored their lead on the hour when Gibbs curled the ball home right-footed from just inside the box.

Sammie Szmodics missed a great opportunity to level when he took too long over his chance and Kovacevic denied Derby again, saving shots from Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and Morris in quick succession.

Morris thought he had equalised in stoppage time, but Kovacevic pushed away his header and Salvesen headed over in an agonising moment for Derby.