THE Canaries were once again made to pay the price for a catalogue of missed chances after Leicester somehow escaped from Carrow Road with a 0-0 draw.
City were especially rampant in the first half, with Lee Croft tearing the Foxes defender apart down the right.
Chance after chance came and went for the Canaries in the first 45, with Croft seeing one ruled out for offside before being denied by a brilliant stop by Ben Alnwick. Dublin then struck the bar with a header, with Evans seeing a goalbound shot blocked by one of his own players.
After the break City were less potent, but continued to make all the running, particularly in the final 15 minutes when substitute Cureton and Dublin were both denied by the acrobatics of the visiting 'keeper.
It was certainly a one-sided contest, and how City did not win the game only they will know. Leicester created little of note, with substitute Barry Hayles going closest with a shot which struck the foot of a post before seeing another cleared off the line by Jason Shackell.
All the same, it maintained City's nine game unbeaten run in the league, although it should have been so much more.
Roeder was robbed of the services of Darren Huckerby for the visit of Ian Holloway's side, with the winger missing from the squad, presumably through injury.
The 32-year-old was therefore forced to watch the game from the stands after being presented with the PFA Fans Player of the Month award before kick-off.
This meant another chance for on-loan Chelsea man Ryan Bertrand to impress on the left of midfield, with Matthew Pattison having to make do with a place on the bench.
Mark Fotheringham and Darel Russell made up the central midfielder, with Lee Croft given licence to attack down the right flank.
Ched Evans, returning to the side after missing the midweek FA Cup defeat at Bury under the terms of his loan from Manchester City, returned to the attack alongside veteran Dion Dublin, who confirmed this week that he would be retiring from football at the end of the season.
The Foxes were looking to end a run of six games without a win on the road, with Holloway naming recent signing Steve Howard in attack. At the back captain and defender Gareth McAuley was hoping for a happier match against the Canaries after scoring own goals in both fixtures last season.
It was an overcast day at Carrow Road, and it was the visitors who registered the first shot of the game, Howard fizzing a shot well wide of Marshall's right post from 25 yards out which was never troubling his goal.
But on five minutes City had the ball in the net in spectacular fashion - only to be denied by the assistant's flag.
Bertrand was given space on the left to deliver a perfect cross to the back post where Croft was loitering in space. But as the winger struck a first time volley past Ben Alnwick at the near post, the flag went up for offside, denying Croft what would have been a confidence boosting goal after one or two misses recently.
It had been another decent start at Carrow Road by the Canaries, and on six minutes it was the woodwork saving Leicester's skin. Croft's tenacity won a corner in front of the Barclay, and Fotheringham picked out former Foxes man Dublin who thundered a header off the bar from 12 yards out.
It had been a lively few minutes by Norwich, looking to end their run of three successive 1-1 draws at Carrow Road.
Norwich were certainly looking the more threatening of the two sides, with Croft in particular causing havoc down the right. And on 14 minutes a furiously back-peddling Alnwick had to stretch to palm another dipping cross away as it threatened to sneak in over his head.
The chances continued to come though, and City were left ruing a piece of bad luck on 18 minutes which prevented Ched Evans from marking his return to Carrow Road with a goal.
Norwich won a free kick four yards outside of the area wide right after N'Gotty handled. Fotheringham produced an excellent free kick, rolling the ball across to the penalty spot where the 19-year-old was unmarked after losing his man.
His low shot was well hit, but it struck the heels of Dublin as he tried to jump out of the way, allowing Leicester's under pressure defence to clear.
Bertrand was also showing the home crowd why he was such a highly regarded prospect at Stamford Bridge, embroiled in a great battle down the left with Stearman.
City were continuing to boss things, and on 28 minutes only an outstanding save by Alnwick denied livewire Croft the opener. A swift break ended with Croft picking up the ball 15 yards inside the Leicester half before sprinting towards the box.
He outpaced the covering defender, his run taking him into the area. But from 15 yards out his low shot was brilliantly blocked by the former Sunderland 'keeper with an outstretched boot.
The visitors were really rocking, with Alnwick almost blotting his copybook moments later with a lazy clearance which struck the back of Dublin before bouncing fortunately behind for a goal kick.
On 35 minutes Leicester's frustrations started to get the better of them, with Stearman earning the first booking of the match for a tackle from behind on Evans just over the halfway line.
Norwich continued to push though, with Roeder seeing a far improved display from the one he witnessed at Gigg Lane in midweek.
City were keeping the ball well and seemed to be playing with plenty of confidence, with Fotheringham's attempted first time volley from all of 35 yards on 38 minutes summing their self-belief up. Unfortunately, it flew three or four yards wide of Alnwick's left post.
Two minutes later though and the Barclay were on their feet when a melee ensued on the Leicester goal-line when Russell and Alnwick got embroiled in a confrontation.
It came about after Dublin headed a Croft cross back across goal. McAuley attempted chest back to his 'keeper wrong-footed Alnwick, and the ball seemed to be heading over the line for the Leicester defender's third own goal in successive games against the Canaries.
Alnwick tried to get back and recover his ground, and as he did Russell slid in to try and push the ball over the line. The 'keeper got there first, but reacted furiously to the midfielder's challenge, shoving Russell in the back and then going in for seconds.
The home crowd were furious, particularly as Russell seemed to have every right to go for the loose ball. And they were enraged even further moments later as Tony Bates opted to book both Alnwick and Russell, when a red card for the visiting 'keeper seemed more lucky.
Bates seemed in real danger of losing control of the match all of a sudden, with Fotheringham earning a yellow card for a late lunge on Oakley as he threatened to start a Leicester break.
The tackle also promoted an angry exchange of words between bosses Roeder and Holloway on the touchline.
With the game approaching halftime, it was amazing City had not yet taken the lead. And you hoped they did not live to rue the missed chances.
Half time: Norwich City 0-0 Leicester City
With his team presumably relieved to escape on level terms at half time, Leicester boss Holloway made one switch at the break, replacing Zsolt Laczko with the experienced Barry Hayles.
Norwich were carrying on where they left off from the first period, winning a number of corners inside the opening eight minutes without making anything of them.
But City continued to press, and on 53 minutes it took a good reaction save by Alnwick to clutch Dublin's low shot on the turn close to his chest.
To their credit, the visitors were beginning to see more of the ball, with the sub Hayles looking lively and up for the contest.
Chances were not coming as easily for the Canaries, particularly with Croft not enjoying the freedom down the right he saw in the first half.
All the same, the home crowd - the biggest of the season by one at 25,462 - remained in great voice, urging their side on to what would be a hugely valuable three points.
The goal City deserved was proving elusive though, with Evans sending a volley over the angle of post and bar after being found in space by the deftest of Dublin touches.
City's attacks were regularly being thwarted by the assistant's flag away by the City Stand, with Evans in particular guilty of miss-timing his runs more often than not.
On 72 minutes Norwich needed to the woodwork to come to their rescue, Hayles striking the foot of the post after being handed a criminal amount of space in the box.
Three minutes later and the hard-working Evans made way for Jamie Cureton, with City still hunting that crucial breakthrough.
With 10 minutes of the game left City almost took the lead from the boot of defender Richard Stearman, who sent his volleyed clearance from Cureton's cross inches wide of the near post.
Moments later and Cureton drew a smart save from Alnwick after he took aim from the corner of the box.
On 86 minutes City had shouts for a penalty waved away. Cureton flicked Fotheringham's low pass on to Russell, who was bearing down on Alnwick's goal. He nicked the ball past the 'keeper and was flattened in the process, but Bates simply awarded a corner as Leicester hacked clear.
From the resulting corner Fotheringham found Doherty's head 10 yards out, but the defender could only guide the ball well wide of the far post when he might have done better.
Chances were still falling to City, and on 89 minutes they wasted another as Cureton volleyed over from the edge of the box when presented with a sight of goal.
Prior to that Shackell needed to be sharp to tidy-up behind Marshall after Hayles had nicked the ball under Marshall following a slip by Doherty.
It was proving a dramatic end to the match, and with two minutes of stoppage time signalled Dublin saw Alnwick tip his looping header onto the left upright with Leicester clearing to safety.
Full time: Norwich City 0-0 Leicester City
Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Doherty, Shackell, Camara, Croft, Fotheringham (c), Russell, Bertrand, Dublin, Evans (Cureton 75). Subs: Gilks (GK), Pattison, Spillane, Martin.
Leicester City: Alnwick, N'Gotty, McAuley (c), Hume, Wesolowski, Stearman, Mattock (Chambers 55), Oakley, Laczko (Hayles 46), Bori (King 83), Howard. Subs: Henderson (GK), Fryatt.
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