Onel Hernandez was Norwich City’s hero as they made it four straight wins with a last-gasp 2-1 victory against Birmingham at St Andrew’s. Hernandez, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Blues, swept home the winner in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.
The 29-year-old Cuban winger’s first goal since scoring for Birmingham in a 3-0 win against Luton on February 12 came after Scott Hogan’s clinical strike five minutes after the break was cancelled out by Andrew Omobamidele’s equaliser in the 63rd minute. Hernandez’s winner made it a happy return to the second city for former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith, now in charge of the East Anglian outfit.
Before kick-off Blues announced the signing of West Ham left-back Emmanuel Longelo on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old was at St Andrew’s to watch the game.
Blues right-back Josh Williams was yellow-carded early on for a lunging foul on Kenny McLean and he was swiftly followed into referee Keith Stroud’s notebook by Norwich midfielder Kieran Dowell for holding Juninho Bacuna.
Dowell had the first chance, side-footing wide unmarked from 12 yards out from Max Aarons’ cross. It took a fine intervention by Blues’ on-loan Wolves defender Dion Sanderson to block the danger as Sam Byram shaped to shoot following a loose ball.
That seemed to spark Norwich into life. Josh Sargent’s cross-shot was hacked off the line by Auston Trusty after the striker wriggled through and rounded former Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.
Blues took the lead in the 50th minute with their first effort on goal. Hogan tapped home from Bacuna’s left-wing cross, which flicked up off Aarons after Jordan Graham’s chip into space down the line. It was the striker’s second goal of the season. Four minutes later Blues captain Troy Deeney crashed a fierce, rising drive over the bar from Williams’ cutback from the right.
Norwich drew level in the 63rd minute when centre back Omobamidele scrambled home. Ruddy brilliantly tipped away Marcelino Nunez’s curling free-kick, but from the loose ball, Sargent won a couple of headers as it bobbled around a crowded six-yard box before the Republic of Ireland defender slotted home.
Norwich should have scored again soon after but Teemu Pukki side-footed wide from a pullback from fellow substitute Hernandez. The Blues went close to a winner when Marc Roberts’ header from a corner was hacked away by Pukki.
But Hernandez rewarded late Norwich pressure when he finished low past Ruddy after latching onto Pukki’s pass into space after a long ball flicked off Roberts.
Sheffield United moved top of the EFL Championship in commanding fashion with a 4-0 win over former leaders Reading. A clash between the top two sides in the division had looked an enticing prospect, but the home side cruised to a one-sided victory at Bramall Lane.
Oli McBurnie opened the scoring with a header from Max Lowe’s superb cross after 11 minutes and Anel Ahmedhodzic volleyed home from a corner just seconds into the second period.
Iliman Ndiaye put the result beyond doubt shortly after the hour mark and Ahmedhodvic completed the rout with a glancing header 10 minutes from time.
Reading’s miserable evening saw them slip to fifth in the table thanks to wins for Norwich, Burnley and Watford.
Watford also enjoyed a last-gasp winner at home to Middlesbrough as the club celebrated 100 years of football at Vicarage Road.
Rodrigo Muniz gave the visitors the lead after just four minutes of his full debut, only for Ismaila Sarr to equalise and Vakoun Bayo to fire home the winner in stoppage time.
Burnley had looked set to move second thanks to Brazilian defender Vitinho’s close-range header in the 62nd minute and Jay Rodriguez stabbing home the second 10 minutes later in a 2-0 win over Millwall.
QPR complete the play-off places following a comfortable 3-1 win over Hull at Loftus Road.
Ilias Chair curled a superb opener into the top corner after just 10 minutes and goals from Manchester United loanee Ethan Laird and Chris Willock put the result beyond doubt before Tyler Smith’s late consolation.
Second-half strikes from Luke Freeman and substitute Gabriel Osho gave Luton a 2-1 win at Cardiff, with Romaine Sawyers drilling home six minutes from time to set up a tense finish.
The only draw of the evening was between Wigan and West Brom, an early Josh Magennis strike cancelled out by Karlan Grant for the Baggies.
PA
