Norwich recorded a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Derby at Carrow Road to deal a huge blow to the Rams' dreams of reaching the Championship play-offs - and keep their own slender hopes alive.
Mohamed Toure fired the Canaries into the lead just after the half-hour mark after missing an early penalty before Derby hit back when David Ozoh took advantage of a defensive mistake to equalise early in the second half.
But Norwich had the final say on 60 minutes, with Liam Gibbs curling the ball home to keep his side's season just about alive.
The Canaries are six points adrift of the top six with two games to play, with their goal difference keeping them in it, while Derby are four behind Hull and Wrexham and, like Norwich, need two wins and big favours from other teams if they are to finish in the top six.
Norwich should have gone ahead after just eight minutes after winning a penalty when Amankwah Forson was brought down by Derry Murkin as he prepared to shoot.
In-form Toure, who had set up the chance with a clever pass, had to wait a couple of minutes for his big moment as Forson received treatment, and although he produced a decent spot-kick to the keeper's left, it was brilliantly turned away by Jacob Zetterstrom.
Norwich shrugged off that setback and continued to dominate, with Forson firing inches over before Toure put his penalty woe behind him in the best possible fashion after 33 minutes.
Forson did well to find his fellow frontman in space on the right of the area and although the angle was tight the Australian had no problem firing emphatically into the roof of the net for his ninth in 11 appearances since joining Norwich in January.
Zetterstrom then did well to keep out a low free-kick from Kenny McLean that was heading into the bottom corner before Derby finally registered an effort at goal as Sammie Szmodics fired high and wide from a decent position.
Derby were gifted a route back into the game nine minutes into the second period when skipper McLean was caught in possession as he tried to play out from the back. The ball fell nicely for Ozoh and the midfielder fired home in emphatic fashion to level the scores.
But the Rams were not on level terms for long. With an hour on the clock Paris Maghoma had the vision to pick out Gibbs on the edge of the box, and the man playing out of position on the left flank curled the ball home superbly for his first goal of the season.
Vladan Kovacevic made an excellent double save to foil first Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and then Carlton Morris as the visitors sought a response and the big keeper then made another good stop to keep out a goal-bound header from Morris in the sixth minute of injury time as Norwich sealed the win.
The managers
Norwich's Philippe Clement:
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Derby's John Eustace:
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