Updated at 17.36

CARDIFF SCORED two late goals to snatch a dramatic 2-1 win at home against promotion-chasing Norwich.

Borja Sainz, the division’s top scorer, hit his 11th league goal of the season to put the visitors ahead early in the second half at the Cardiff City Stadium.

But Callum Robinson came off the bench to grab an 89th-minute equaliser before fellow Irish international Callum O’Dowda’s left-footed winner deep into stoppage time.

Victory saw Cardiff extend their unbeaten run under caretaker manager Omer Riza to six games and climb a further four places clear of the relegation zone.

The painful defeat was a first in eight games for Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side, who had looked to be moving into sixth place before slipping back to ninth.

These were two in-form teams in the Championship but both were hit by injuries ahead of kick-off.

Cardiff were forced into three changes with Alex Robertson injured, Perry Ng suspended and top-scorer Robinson starting on the bench due to an Achilles issue.

Norwich also showed a trio of new faces with striker Josh Sargent and midfielder Anis Ben Slimane joining an already hefty injury list.

While the Canaries dominated possession in the first half, they were unable to break down a well-organised home defence that had not conceded a goal in four of their previous five games.

Skipper Shane Duffy should have done better from a free-kick but directed his header well wide while Sainz’s long-range effort brought a first save by Jak Alnwick.

The forward then had the last of three Norwich efforts in a scramble inside Cardiff’s box from a corner late in a goalless first half before breaking the deadlock in impressive style just seven minutes after the break.

Callum Doyle intercepted David Turnbull’s overly-ambitious pass inside his own half and released Sainz in space.

Cardiff were too slow to close down the Spaniard, who picked his spot high and to the left of Alnwick.

Norwich came close to doubling their lead but Doyle and Sainz were both denied by Alnwick before Jack Stacey’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Dimitrios Goutas.

But O’Dowda turned the game late on, setting up Robinson whose effort deflected off Duffy and past the helpless George Long, who had had precious little to do for most of the game.

Cardiff suddenly had belief, surging forward through Rubin Colwill and Robinson before O’Dowda fired to the right of Long to pull off a remarkable comeback.

Tom Cannon and Eiran Cashin compete for the ball. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Meanwhile, Ben Gibson headed in a late winner as Stoke beat Derby 2-1 in the Championship.

The Potters went into the lead early on through Tom Cannon’s ninth-minute penalty after he was taken down by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, while Irish players Andrew Moran and Enda Stevens also started for the hosts.

In addition, Eiran Cashin and Marcus Harness were part of the visitors’ starting XI and James Collins was introduced off the bench for the Rams in the 78th minute.

Derby, somewhat against the run of play, levelled things up in bizarre fashion after Gibson’s header beat his own goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, who got the last touch as the ball went into the net.

But captain Gibson secured all three points for the home side with eight minutes left.

The first chance of the game fell to the away side after Junior Tchamadeu fouled Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the edge of the Stoke box, but the resulting free-kick by Joe Ward was saved by Johansson.

However, it was the home side who took the lead. A delightful through ball from Stevens found the advancing run of Cannon, who went down in the area after contact from the Derby goalkeeper.

Cannon picked himself up off the turf and dispatched the spot-kick from 12 yards into the bottom right corner.

On-loan Brighton midfielder Moran should have made it 2-0, but his sweeping left-footed effort went wide.

Stoke were dominant in the opening 45 minutes, with the back-line limiting the away side to only three shots and as many touches in their box in the first period.

Cannon almost grabbed his second of the game just before the hour mark.

A fast-flowing counter-attack saw the ball land at the feet of Bae Jun-ho who touched it off to Cannon. The 21-year-old took one touch to set himself before aiming, only to be kept out by a combination of the goalkeeper and Cashin.

Moments later, Zetterstrom made a sensational stop to deny Jun-ho after heading a cross from Stevens goalwards.

At the other end, Johansson, who had been solid all game, had a moment of madness in the Stoke goal.

A cushioned header from Gibson should have been easily claimed by the goalkeeper, but the Swedish international was nowhere to be seen and despite his recovery effort, he could not prevent the ball from joining him in the back of his own net.

But with eight minutes of the 90 remaining, the home side regained their advantage as an inswinging corner from Jun-ho was headed home by defender Gibson.

Stoke held on to record only their second league win under Narcis Pelach since he took over from Steven Schumacher back in September.