Norwich City were beaten 3-2 by Preston North End having led, squandering the chance to go top of the Championship table.
The result means the gap to Queens Park Rangers in third remains solely on goal difference, while Sheffield United retain top spot despite losing 3-1 to Stoke City.
The game didn't take long to burst into life at Carrow Road, with Josh Sargent's early goal setting the tone for an open fixture. The American benefited from good fortune to seize on Liam Gibbs' blocked through ball, driving goalward before beating Freddie Woodman.
The Canaries' good work was undone 24 minutes later, however, with Robbie Brady's cross headed powerfully home by Emil Riis.
As Dean Smith's side searched for the goal to put them back in front, they gifted their visitors a second. Tim Krul's pass was too heavy for Gibbs and a breakdown in communications allowed Alvaro Fernandez to tee-up Riis for 2-1.
Gabriel Sara briefly got the hosts level with his first Norwich goal, blasting home from close range after Teemu Pukki's centre, but Gibbs deflected Troy Parrott's cross home to hand the Lilywhites three points.
Kenny McLean had the ball in the net five minutes into stoppage time, but saw his effort disallowed for a foul from Grant Hanley off the ball.
NORWICH CITY (4-3-3):
Substitutes:
28. Gunn (GK)
6. Gibson
9. Hugill
10. Dowell (on for Nunez, 72)
17. Sara (on for Byram, 46)
21. Sinani (on for Ramsey, 59)
25. Hernandez (on for Gibbs, 81)
Head Coach: Dean Smith
Bookings: Byram (30)
PRESTON NORTH END (3-5-2):
Substitutes:
25. Cornell
10. Johnson (on for McCann, 82)
15. Parrott (on for Maguire, 46)
16. Hughes (on for Cunningham, 79)
18. Ledson (on for Parrott, 82)
20. Woodburn (on for Brady, 68)
44. Potts
Manager: Ryan Lowe
Bookings: Brady (44), Fernandez (55), Browne (59), Storey (64)
KEY MOMENTS
2 - GOAL NORWICH (Sargent): Gibbs tries to slip the ball through for Nunez but sees his pass blocked by Whiteman. Sargent seizes on the loose ball and drives goalward, beating Woodman from the edge of the box.
8 - McLean heads through to Sargent and he controls the bouncing ball under pressure from three defenders, before his shot is diverted wide by Woodman.
23 - Pukki finds space on the edge of the box and fires a shot towards goal, but Woodman beats it away.
24 - Gibbs plays a perfectly-weighted through ball to Pukki, but he slightly miscues his dink and it spins wide.
25 - GOAL PRESTON (Riis): Browne finds Brady in space and he crosses for Riis to head into the far corner.
29 - Byram appears to catch Browne's knee with a high challenge, and the City full-back receives a booking.
39 - McLean tees up Nunez for a shot from long range, but it flies wide.
42 - Preston cross the ball and Riis swings to shoot, but Aarons' key touch takes it away from him.
45+3 - Maguire finds space in the Norwich area and cuts the ball back, but Hanley's timely intervention allows Krul to collect.
Half time - Norwich City 1-1 Preston North End
47 - Pukki crosses and Sargent looks set for a tap-in until Storey's last-ditch clearance.
50 - Gibbs shoots from range after some clever interplay with Sara and Ramsey, but his effort drops wide.
52 - GOAL PRESTON (Riis): Krul's pass is too heavy for Gibbs and he leaves the ball for Aarons, who's never getting there. Fernandez steals the ball and sets up Riis, who rolls home for 2-1.
56 - The ball ricochets around the Preston area and falls to Sargent to volley, but his shot is straight at Woodman.
58 - McLean cuts back for Pukki and he takes a touch before miscuing his left-footed half volley.
63 - Hanley's attempted clearance falls for Parrott to volley, but Krul and then Hanley eventually deal with it.
76 - GOAL NORWICH (Sara): Hanley flicks through for Pukki, who squares for Sara to confidently finish from close range.
80 - GOAL PRESTON (Gibbs OG, 80): Parrott's cross wrong-foots Krul via a Gibbs deflection and beats the Dutchman.
85 - The ball falls to Hernandez after a Norwich corner and he catches his volley well, but Woodman tips it over the bar.
90+5 - McLean finds the net with a long-range strike, but it's disallowed for an earlier foul by Hanley.
Full time - Norwich City 2-3 Preston North End
PLAYER RATINGS
Krul 3, Aarons 5, Omobamidele 5, Hanley 6, Byram 5, Gibbs 4, McLean 6, Nunez 5, Ramsey 5, Pukki 6, Sargent 8. Subs: Sara 8, Sinani 5, Dowell 5, Hernandez 6.
MATCH STATISTICS
Possession: 61pc-39pc
Shots: 17-8
On target: 8-5
Fouls: 10-12
Corners: 9-3
Time added on: 3 mins/7 mins
ATTENDANCE: 26,062
REFEREE: Dean Whitestone
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