Norwich and Leicester missed the chance to keep pace with leaders Portsmouth after a goalless draw at Carrow Road.

What started out as an absorbing, full-blooded battle degenerated as the match wore on.

In the end both sides seemed content to take a point.

Leicester hearts were fluttering early on when Ian Walker came out and flapped at a high free-kick but David Nielsen's cross was cleared away from the empty goal.

In the 14th minute, Alan Rogers fired a low cross across the face of the Norwich goal but it was just too far ahead of Paul Dickov, who was sliding in at the back post.

Lack of ambition

Later on there was almost a bizarre breakthrough, when Paul McVeigh threaded a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Nielsen.

Frank Sinclair intercepted it but his momentum carried him beyond his goalkeeper and for a moment it looked like he was about to walk it into his own net - but he recovered control in time to avert the danger.

McVeigh tried to catch Walker out with a dipping shot in the 38th minute but it cleared the crossbar.

The second half suffered as a spectacle because of the continued lack of a breakthrough for either side.

The Foxes began to dominate proceedings as the half wore on. When Frank Sinclair got in a downward header, he had Canaries goalkeeper Robert Green scrambling across his goal to push it wide.

Seconds later, Green got down to smother a low shot from Matt Elliott who had come up for a corner.

The home side enjoyed a flurry of pressure in the closing minutes but they were no more successful on the attack than Leicester.

Garry Holt almost snatched victory for Norwich in the 87th minute but his right-footed volley dropped onto the roof of the net.

Norwich: Green, Nedergaard, Kenton, Mackay, Drury, Holt, Mulryne, Emblen, McVeigh, Roberts, Nielsen. Subs: Crichton, Abbey, Fleming, Southall, Llewellyn.

Leicester: Walker, Sinclair, Elliott, Taggart, Davidson, Scowcroft, Izzet, McKinlay, Rogers, Dickov, Deane. Subs: Royce, Benjamin, Impey, Oakes, Summerbee.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).