Onel Hernandez was Norwich’s hero as they made it 4 straight wins with a last-gasp 2-1 victory in opposition to Birmingham at St Andrew’s.

ernandez, who spent the second half of final season on mortgage with Blues, swept house the winner within the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

The 29-year-old Cuban winger’s first purpose since scoring for Birmingham in a 3-0 win in opposition to Luton on February 12 got here after Scott Hogan’s medical strike 5 minutes after the break was cancelled out by Andrew Omobamidele’s equaliser within the 63rd minute.

Hernandez’s winner made it a cheerful return to the second metropolis for former Aston Villa supervisor Dean Smith, now in control of the East Anglian outfit.

Earlier than kick-off Blues introduced the signing of West Ham left-back Emmanuel Longelo on a season-long mortgage. The 21-year-old was at St Andrew’s to observe the sport.

Blues right-back Josh Williams was yellow-carded early on for a lunging foul on Kenny McLean and he was swiftly adopted into referee Keith Stroud’s pocket book by Norwich midfielder Kieran Dowell for holding Juninho Bacuna.

Dowell had the primary probability, side-footing huge unmarked from 12 yards out from Max Aarons’ cross.

It took a high quality intervention by Blues’ on-loan Wolves defender Dion Sanderson to dam the hazard as Sam Byram formed to shoot following a free ball.

That appeared to spark Norwich into life. Josh Sargent’s cross-shot was hacked off the road by Auston Trusty after the striker wriggled by means of and rounded former Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.

Blues took the lead within the fiftieth minute with their first effort on purpose.

Hogan tapped house from Bacuna’s left-wing cross, which flicked up off Aarons after Jordan Graham’s chip into house down the road. It was the striker’s second purpose of the season.

4 minutes later Blues captain Troy Deeney crashed a fierce, rising drive over the bar from Williams’ cutback from the best.

Norwich drew stage within the 63rd minute when centre again Omobamidele scrambled house.

Ruddy brilliantly tipped away Marcelino Nunez’s curling free-kick, however from the free ball, Sargent received a few headers because it bobbled round a crowded six-yard field earlier than the Republic of Eire defender slotted house.

Norwich ought to have scored once more quickly after however Teemu Pukki side-footed huge from a pullback from fellow substitute Hernandez.

Blues went near a winner when Marc Roberts’ header from a nook was hacked away by Pukki.

However Hernandez rewarded late Norwich strain when he completed low previous Ruddy after latching onto Pukki’s cross into house after an extended ball flicked off Roberts.