LEEDS looked made up to snatch another away win courtesy of Max Gradel – but then Leon Barnett’s first goal for Norwich wiped the smile off their faces.
The Canaries’ on-loan West Bromdefender (right) capped a stormingsecond-half recovery to cancel out Gradel’s opener and leave the two sides almost neck and neck in the race for the play-offs.
Carrow Road’s biggest crowd for 18 years of 26,315 witnessed an epic tussle between the rivals who were both promoted from League One last season.
Norwich, who have managed just one win in their last eight games, are making a habit of coming from behind.
But Leeds boss Simon Grayson claimed the leveller should not have been allowed to stand, saying: “I feel aggrieved because Kasper Schmeichel was blatantly fouled by Chris Martin.
“If Kaspar hadn’t been pushed, he’d have caught the ball and the goal would never have happened. But I’m not here to criticise the referee, even if everybody else saw it.
“We have to remember he also played a good advantage for our goal.”
Leeds have now taken 10 points from their last four away games and Grayson added: “I’m immensely pleased.
“The players had to work very hard and put their bodies on the line at times. We passed it around well and looked a good team.
“But we needed to get a second goal when we were on top in the first half.
“We could have won it, but we also might have lost it with the amount of pressure we were under in the second half.”
Norwich boss Paul Lambert saw his men roar back forthe umpteenth time this season.
He said: “It would be frustrating if it wasn’t for the fact that we’re playing well and creating chances.
“It was a brilliant game and we came back well at 1-0 down.
“Teams are starting well against us and putting us on the back foot, but we have enough about us to get back.”
Gradel fired Leeds into a 13th-minute lead with his third goal of the season – all of which have come on the road.
The 22-year-old struck the decisive goal in a 3-2 thriller at Coventry earlier this month and opened the scoring in a 4-1 win at Scunthorpe the week before that. His latest strike came when referee Mick Russell played the advantage after Barnett upended Luciano Becchio on the edge of the area.
Gradel picked up the loose ball and beat John Ruddy’s far from convincing dive with a low, left-foot shot.
Norwich probably should have levelled in the 27th minute when midfielder Andrew Crofts was clean through but attempted to steer the ball round Schmeichel and succeeded only in taking it away from goal.
Canaries keeper Ruddy was back in the good books when he produced a magnificent save to deny Leeds a second goal on 34 minutes.
Becchio dispossessed a hesitant Elliott Ward and cut the ball back for Gradel to let fly with a 20-yard rocket that Ruddy did well to fingertip over.
Four minutes later, the lively Gradel wriggled his way through but struck his effort from an angle straight at the keeper. Leeds survived a real scare within seven minutes of the restart.
Simon Lappin crossed into the middle and Grant Holt got the better of Alex Bruce only to see his header crash against the inside of a post.
Schmeichel, rooted to the spot, could hardly believe his luck as he watchedthe ball bounce off the upright and into his arms.
Just five minutes later, the Leedskeeper was back in action again as he dived low to his left to push away Martin’s curling shot, bound for the net.
But he could do nothing to keep out Barnett’s towering header from a David Fox corner in the 65th minute to level the match.