Norwich's dream of replacing East Anglia rivals Ipswich in the Premiership is still alive after a dramatic victory at Carrow Road.

The three points and more importantly the two goals secured the Canaries' place in the Division One play-offs at the expense of Burnley on goal difference.

City now meet third-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers for a place in the final of the Division One play-offs in Cardiff on 12 May.

Relegated Stockport were amazingly forced to play with 10 men for 89 minutes after losing veteran goalkeeper Andy Dibble.

Dibble became one of the fastest sendings-off of all-time when he was dismissed for a deliberate handball offence after just 42 seconds.

Burnley could only beat Coventry 1-0 - meaning Nigel Worthington's men finished just one goal better than the unfortunate Clarets.

County's 17-year-old substitute keeper James Spencer replaced Dibble in the first minute.

Paul McVeigh lofted the ball through to David Nielsen - and Dibble raced from his goal to intercept.

But Dibble was too late and handled Nielsen's shot four yards outside his box, with his first touch.

Referee Paul Alcock consulted his linesman and sent Dibble off.

The teenager Spencer produced a fantastic display, making a host of breathtaking saves which seemed certain to wreck City's Premiership dream.

Norwich had already hit the woodwork twice through Mark Rivers and Clint Easton when Phil Mulryne's deflected 45th-minute 20-yard volley finally broke the deadlock.

Spencer did well to punch away a corner before Mulyrne followed up with a sweet volley, which deflected off County captain Dave Challinor and into the visitors' net.

Stockport then hit to woodwork to increase Norwich nerves before Norwich skipper Malky Mackay came up with the vital second goal

With quarter-of-an-hour remaining, Easton's right-wing corner floated over Spencer and Mackay powered in with a bullet header from close-range to send the big crowd into dreamland.

Norwich: Green, Kenton, Mackay, Fleming, Drury, Rivers, Holt, Mulryne, Easton, McVeigh, Nielsen.
Subs: Crichton, Sutch, Notman, Libbra, Hayes.

Stockport: Dibble, Clark, Clare, Challinor, Thomas, Briggs, McLachlan, Fradin, Daly, Welsh, Ellison.
Subs: Spencer, Woodthorpe, Wild, Williams, Byrne.

Referee: P Alcock (Halstead)

Attendance: 20,897