Chris Lakey The Canaries suffered a potentially disastrous afternoon at Carrow Road when they went down to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest. City were two down at the break, and although they pulled one back through an own goal, Forest restored their cushion in injury time, before a second own goal made it 3-2.

Chris Lakey

The Canaries suffered a potentially disastrous afternoon at Carrow Road when they went down to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.

City were two down at the break, and although they pulled one back through an own goal, Forest restored their cushion in injury time, before a second own goal made it 3-2.

Lee Croft was back in the Norwich City line-up having missed the Boxing Day trip to Crystal Palace with a virus, but recovered sufficiently to take his place against the manager-less visitors.

It was the only change for manager Glenn Roeder, who dropped Mark Fotheringham to the bench where he was joined by Antoine Sibierski, who had missed the previous five games with a foot injury.

Forest, with John Pemberton in charge following Saturday's sacking of Colin Calderwood, made five changes from the team which lost at home to Doncaster two days earlier, with ex-Canaries striker Robert Earnshaw having to settle for a place on the bench.

Forest went ahead on 17 minutes when Nathan Tyson outmuscled Elliott Omozusi down the left and clipped in a cross which went over the head of Gary Doherty and fell perfectly for Matt Thornhill, who put it in via David Marshall's right-hand post.

Forest made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark when Lewis McGugan turned Omozusi, rode a challenge by Sammy Clingan and slid it under Marshall.

Croft forced Lee Camp into his first save while Matty Pattison's excellent chipped effort was beaten over his bar by the back-tracking keeper.

The half-time whistle was greeted with boos from the City fans, with manager Glenn Roeder left to ponder how his players could retrieve a difficult situation.

t Half-time: Norwich City 0, Nottingham Forest 2

City were a little better in the second half, and were given a lifeline when Ian Breckin put through his own net following a shot by Darel Russell on 73 minutes.

But Rob Earnshaw, back at Carrow Road for the first time since his departure 18 months ago, restored Forest's advantage in the 89th minute before a spectacular headed own goal by Joe Garner again pulled one back for City in time added on.

It was too little too late, though, and City now sit just two points and two places above the drop zone.

t Result: Norwich City 2, Nottingham Forest 3

t Norwich v Nottm Forest Norwich: Marshall, Otsemobor, Doherty, Omozusi, Bertrand, Croft, Clingan, Hoolahan, Pattison, Bell, Lita.

Subs: Nelson, Drury, Sibierski, Fotheringham, Russell.

t Nottm Forest: Camp, Chambers, Morgan, Breckin, Heath, Anderson, Perch, McGugan, Thornhill, Cohen, Tyson.

Subs: Smith, Earnshaw, McCleary, Garner, Moloney.

t Referee: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire)