Blues boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with his side’s 3-0 victory over Millwall but felt his team had to work harder for the three points than the scoreline suggests.

McCarthy said: “I’m delighted, I thought we deserved it in the end, to be honest. It was a good game. Hendo kept us in it a couple of times early on, so overall I'm really pleased.

“It wasn’t easy, not at all. The lads are knackered, they’ve worked hard, they’ve put a shift in and stopped a good side from playing.

“Teams only play how much you allow them to play and I thought our lads were terrific, they really worked hard and stopped them playing.”

The Blues boss brought striker Daryl Murphy back into his starting line-up and was pleased with the Irishman’s display: “He was terrific. He was outstanding. A bit of insecurity is great sometimes. Chambo got left out and he’s been excellent since he came back in.

“Murph got left out and he’s come on and made a difference in two games and I thought it was a really good performance today. That’s the beauty of having a squad all wanting to play and motivated, you get performances out of them.”

McCarthy, who also had praise for Guirane N’Daw, was pleased with the Senegalese international’s partner in midfield, who made an improvement after a disappointing display at Bolton.

"The biggest response for me was Andy Drury because I took him off last week because he had a poor game, no other reason," he said.

"I said that to him in the dressing room. But I thought he was night and day, I thought he was outstanding today.”

The Town manager gave Elliott Hewitt his Blues debut as a late sub and felt he did well: “Bradley Orr had a bit of a neural problem, a nerve in his neck, and he did well to do as long as he’d done. When Elliott came on he was great and got the crowd going. I was pleased with him.”

DJ Campbell once again grabbed many of the headlines, netting his seventh and eighth goals for the Blues in the 12th game of his loan spell.

McCarthy says he has now approached new QPR boss Harry Redknapp about signing the 31-year-old on a permanent basis: “I left him a message the other day, but I think Harry’s got plenty on.

“We can’t do anything about it, it will run its course. I would think there will be other people interested. He’s scoring goals, he wants to sign for a club permanently, we’d like to take him but circumstances will determine that.”

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett thought Chris Wood’s early disallowed goal ought to have counted: “We should have been a goal ahead, Wood’s goal from Lowry’s pass in the first half is clearly onside, having seen it again.

“We’ve gone in at the break 1-0 down. Their keeper’s made three very good saves and we’ve had an offside goal disallowed.

“We could have been one or two-up in that period, but that happens, we were 1-0 down.

“The start of the second half was poor for us, two poor goals took the game away from us then. We’d been defending very well.

“I felt that Murphy and Campbell were a handful for us and obviously one’s scored two goals and the other’s got one, so they made key contributions.

“They were a handful for us. Murphy in particular ran the channels, they put the ball over the top for him.

“The start of the second half was key for us because it obviously took the game away from us. We kept going, we kept battling but couldn’t quite find the breakthrough.”

Photo: Action Images

das_bones added 18:36 - Dec 8 Well done all round!
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TractorBeezer added 18:44 - Dec 8 Well done MM and the lads. What a difference it makes to the weekend! We finished with an owned and young back four which bodes well for the furure. Would be great if we could sign N'Daw, DJ and Orr on a permanent basis. Also good to see the attendance creeping up. 10 points off play-offs now!
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Michael11 added 18:45 - Dec 8 Well done boys, such a nice feeling looking forward to saturdays again rather than dreading it. Can really see us going places with Mick!
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bluelad7 added 18:46 - Dec 8 Only a few words needed, THE FUTURES BRIGHT...THE FUTURES MICK [I'm sure I've heard that saying somewhere else!]
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ericclacton added 18:54 - Dec 8 Brilliant Team Performance.
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BillBlue added 19:01 - Dec 8 Thank you Mick for turning or club round. I am beginning to feel confident again. All that apprehension was no good for the health. COYB
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wiggy71 added 19:05 - Dec 8 Micks done well to pick the lads up this was the same team underachieving week in week out just wish he got here earlier Well done lads COYB'S
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footers added 19:08 - Dec 8 So we've had quality under our noses all along, loan or otherwise, and Mick's getting the best out of them... wouldn't have known that under PJ. COYB- a slow two or three seasons build-up now and then back to the PL and Europe!
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Pendejo added 19:14 - Dec 8 Look here McCarthy old chap what on earth do you think you are doing coming here with those winning ways, it's just not on. I have been studying my 3rd tier grounds very hard looking forward to next season and under your stewardhip we've gone from basket case bottom to 10 points off the bottom. It's not bad enough! With this sort of form you're gonna be messing with our emotions and giving us delusions of grandeur..... upper mid table god damit! That's nose bleed stuff!!!!! As I texted to a few actually at the game earlier ~Ipswich are back!~ OK bit early for that but feels good to be an Ipswich fan living close to The New Den... there's a few Lions I need to bait now!

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mad_mohsni added 19:16 - Dec 8 Great result but can't help but rethink if we had lost their would have been a lot more comments about the game on twtd tonight!
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 19:16 - Dec 8 What a difference! Feel so much happier these days. Forgotten what it was like to look forward to the next game with anything other than foreboding! If Ireland ever do come in for him again, that really would be taking the mick.
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Lightningboy added 19:19 - Dec 8 Well done (again) Mick & co...this turnaround in form is truly stunning...Brilliant stuff!! Marcus..sort Mick out a longer deal asap!!!
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TractorBoy666 added 19:34 - Dec 8 Great result against an unbeaten Millwall in 13 games! Every player done their job today, and I really like the relationship between Martin & Cresswell down the left wing. They constantly praise each other, which is great to see. Our first goal was class, the build up before was superb. Hopefully now we can kick on, and stay away from the bottom. Great work Mick. Onwards and upwards! One last thing, when the game ended we went out towards the Millwall end because we were parked down there. There was some Millwall fan and our fan in each others faces! Just love to us take the pee out of other fans for once, for beating them. COYB!

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sheepdags added 19:54 - Dec 8 Soooper, super Mick Soooper, super Mick Soooper, super Mick Super Mick McCarthy
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Blue041273 added 19:58 - Dec 8 We should just be grateful that we can enjoy Christmas outside the bottom three. That wasn't on the cards a few short weeks back. There's still a lot to do but based on the performances in the last three games we have a team deserving of our faith and a management team who are pretty close to the real Santa Claus.
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warwickblue added 20:10 - Dec 8 Second half was great wasn't it? McCarthy knows his stuff.Lovely to come away feeling so good after a game. Tractorbreezer - I thought N'Daw is ours? Is he a loan? Someone put me right please.
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jert16 added 20:13 - Dec 8 Super Mick Mcarthy! Get in there!
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StuartBrett8 added 20:17 - Dec 8 Never a doubt in my mind, I watched the Millwall V Leeds match on the box and Millwall were nothing special and beat an unlucky Leeds side who had a daft sending off. I've got no worries about playing Leeds next either as Norwich have nicked their best players... onwards and upwards under the leadership of super Mick McCarthy :)
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Wickets added 20:21 - Dec 8 What a differance MM has made and well done to the players, How has he done it,i hear you ask.Well brought in a good solid right back so we have balance,insisted in hard work in midfield, Hyam than Drury with N'Daw in midfield(pat on the back for me as i've been saying on here for 2 years they should be first choice) and got front runners takeing defenders on in the box,hence the pens.Well done keep it up,football is an easy game when your winning.

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s6blue added 20:28 - Dec 8 N daw on a season long loan warwickblue. But he s hinted he d be open to staying beyond that
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Lennyboy added 20:41 - Dec 8 This result has pleased my wife no end....lost my voice from all the cheering, she'll be happy for the next coupld of days. Me.... I'm like a dog with three d*cks. What a great win, can'y wait for the Bristol game...oh b+gger..I'm working. COYB
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Lennyboy added 20:48 - Dec 8 Oh...just a quick word on what Kenny Jacket said about their disallowed goal...I was right in line with our back four and he was a mile offside. Never put Kenny Jacket down as a poor loser..but thats what he is today. We controlled this game, they had a couple of spells; but we deserved the win.
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bobble added 20:53 - Dec 8 blueskyss nothing but blueskyssss...finally
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StuartBrett8 added 20:58 - Dec 8 Wow... down vote overload!
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i_like_that_bolder added 21:04 - Dec 8 Great to hear the oppo manager praising our forward play, sounds like great tactics, well executed by motivated and capable players. What a pleasant change.
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