A late strike from Craig Gardner brought visiting Sunderland to within a goal of Norwich City at half-time in their meeting at Carrow Road this afternoon.

The hosting Canaries broke the deadlock with just eight minutes of the match played.

Danny Rose brought down Steven Whittaker with a sliding challenge and referee Phil Dowd awarded Norwich a free kick, which was whipped in by Robert Snodgrass. The ball appeared to strike Sunderland Carlos Cuellar on the arm but before Dowd had to make a decision, Sebastian Bassong beat goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to the ball and prodded it into the net from close range.

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Norwich continued to dominate the opening exchanges, but they rarely threatened Mignolet in the home goal.

That allowed visiting Sunderland to play their way into the encounter and they had their first effort at goal with 28 minutes gone. Sebastian Larsson cut the ball back to defender Rose from a corner and the Tottenham Hotspur loanee sent in a low shot that Mark Bunn in the home goal managed to hold.

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However, Chris Hughton's Norwich were soon back in the ascendancy and they doubled their lead in the 36th minute. Bradley Johnson sent a hopeful looping pass over the Sunderland defence for Anthony Pilkington to run on to. Having got into the penalty area, the midfielder cut inside Cuellar, before slotting the ball past an advancing Mignolet.

The Black Cats had the final say of the half though when Gardner drilled the ball past Bunn and into the net via the upright from 25 yards out to keep his side in contention.