Norwich manager Alex Neil was delighted with his side’s performance after seeing them beat Rotherham 3-1 at Carrow Road to go back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table.
The Canaries moved above Town, who play Sheffield Wednesday in the Sunday live Sky TV game, as goals from Wes Hoolahan, Cameron Jerome and Steven Naismith earned them an ultimately comfortable win.
Rotherham briefly made it interesting by pulling the score back to 2-1 with 16 minutes remaining but Dexter Blackstock’s close-range strike was an isolated scare for a side who look well placed to challenge for a quick return to the Premier League.
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“I think the performance was really good,” said Neil.
“We had a lot of the ball, created lots of chances and the only complaint I could make is that we didn’t win the game by a bigger margin.
“To be honest in the first half I thought we were a little bit wasteful because it could easily have been 3-0 at half-time and I don’t think they would have had any complaints.
“When we made it 2-0 I thought we would comfortably see out the game but then a wee bit of sloppiness on our part lets them back into it.
“We were still in control of the game though and it was nice to get a third goal near the end.
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“I suppose we made it more difficult than it might have been but it’s another three points and, as I said, a really good performance.
“I think we are where we deserve to be (at the top of the table) because you don’t get there by chance.
“The lads have done really well so far and it was good to get another win with both Robbie Brady and Jonny Howson on the sidelines.
“But as I keep saying there is a long way to go yet.”
Rotherham manager Alan Stubbs felt his side had given a decent account of themselves despite sliding to a fifth defeat on the trot.
“We were playing against a Premier League group of players in all but name and when we made it 2-1 we gave them a little scare,” he said.
“To be fair Norwich are a good side and they deserved to win the game but the lads gave it a good go and had we been up against a lesser side we might have got something from it.
“It’s the easiest thing in the world to accept your fate, it’s much harder not to accept it and go out there and try and do something about it. That’s what I told the players at half-time and I thought they did well in the second half.
“I have been in plenty of dressing rooms where there have been one or two players who tend to quit when things are going against them but I don’t see that here.
“The lads are going out there and doing the best they can and that is all you can ask of them. If they keep doing that, and keep working hard, things will turn for them, I am sure of that.”
