Rovers - who beat Newcastle to reach the Carling Cup quarter-finals in midweek - took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Junior Hoilett.

Although Wales striker Steve Morison levelled with a well-taken strike on 53 minutes, two quick goals from Ayegbeni Yakubu and captain Christopher Samba looked to have put the visitors on course for a first away victory which would have lifted them off the foot of the table.

The Canaries, though, grabbed a lifeline with eight minutes left through Bradley Johnson's deflected effort then in stoppage time, the ball dropped onto Steven Nzonzi's arm at the far post and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot.

Substitute Holt - whose scored in last week's battling 1-1 draw at Liverpool - stepped up to smash the ball past Paul Robinson and earn the never-say-die Canaries a share of the points.

Kean said: "It feels like a defeat because a decision like that in five minutes of stoppage time is very hard to take.

"I have looked at the penalty decision from a few angles and Steven was fouled at the back post and is appealing for a free-kick and the ball drops behind his shoulder and hits the top of his arm.

"I don't think there was any intent and we feel as it if was a foul.

"For us to do so well and to have the game in the palm of our hands, it is tough to take."

Despite the disappointment of not holding out for all three points, Kean was happy enough with the performance.

"We have had a tough programme, but the effort which they put in again today shows they are a good group and are very tight," he said.

"In a couple of days when we reflect on it, we will feel as if we have done enough to win this and now just have to keep going.

"We are up two places and if we can just have that in our mind each game, then we can keep performing and creating chances.

"We just have to concentrate on a clean sheet, because we can score goals."

Canaries boss Paul Lambert felt his team had taken what their efforts deserved.

He said: "I have been here for two-and-a-half years now, and from day one it has been like that - we never give up.

"We have got a good side and a great spirit and desire to try to win games.

"From my view, we were the better team in the first half and were caught with a classic sucker punch.

"We never just turn up and think we are going to win, because every game is hard for us. There is never a 'gimme', even in League One. You need to work hard for it.

"Blackburn are an established Premier League side and hurt us when we did not do the right things but all credit to the lads, because they came back really strong with a great spirit."

Lambert had not reviewed the penalty incident, but felt it was about time Norwich got the rub of the green.

"In the first five games of the season with the penalty decisions against us, we never got a break from that, so I am delighted to get it," he said.

"We have had some really bad decisions and sometimes you need a little bit of good fortune."

Lambert added: "It takes huge players to go and step up to take a penalty in those situations.

"Grant's goal at Liverpool was brilliant and that one, for different reasons, was probably bigger."