Town boss Paul Lambert felt his side was outstanding in the second half as they beat Rochdale 1-0 at Spotland, Danny Rowe the scorer of the game’s only goal in the 53rd minute.
"I thought in the second half we were brilliant, I thought we were excellent, we controlled the game,” he said.
"In the first half I thought we were comfortable, we hit the post, we hit the bar, they had one or two little moments themselves, which they’re entitled to have. They’re a decent little side themselves.
"The pitch was getting heavy, we’ve come here at the right time in the season probably but the team in the second half was outstanding.”
The home side may have felt they shaded the first half and Lambert made a change at half-time switching Alan Judge from the left wing to the right and Rowe from right to left.
"We just spoke about what we could do better,” Lambert said when asked about the dressing room chat during the break.
"I made the tactical personnel switch at half-time because I knew that the wide areas could maybe give us a bit of joy and Danny coming in at the back was excellent. The control of the game in the second half was first class.”
Regarding Rowe’s first goal for the club, he said: "I think it was great for him because he’s played ever so well for us. When he went out with his ear infection it was a bitter blow for him and us but he’s come back and he’s exciting. He makes things happen, Danny, that’s what he does.”
The Blues boss also had praise for Rowe’s defensive qualities with Rochdale’s impressive 17-year-old right-back Luke Matheson less effective once the former Macclesfield man took over on his flank.
"He had Judgey in the first half and then Danny in the second and then Anthony [Georgiou] came on against him. Listen, the young kid’s a good player, that’s for sure.
"But my own team, the chemistry between the guys on and off the pitch, it’s good to watch them play.”
Rowe has been at Town since January 2017 but this year is the first time he has really been given a chance in the first team and Lambert says the Mancunian is making the most of his opportunity.
"Yes, I think him coming and then going on loan did him the world of good,” he reflected. "He’s an incredibly talented footballer Danny Rowe and it’s just a matter of trying to get the right substance to him for his game to improve.
"He’s a confidence player, there’s no doubt about it, the little lad’s a confidence player but what he’s done at the start of the season has been excellent for us.”
He says Rowe’s well-taken goal is the sort of thing which is worked on in training: "We always work on it anyway, lads coming in at the back post or coming across, which is important. It’s no more than he deserves because he’s been playing really well.”
The win is Town’s seventh on the road this season with the Blues now having taken 22 points from 27 when on their travels.
"We’re in a good moment, we’re in a good place, the club is in a really good place and, as I’ve said before, still building things to try and make it better,” Lambert continued.
"It’s a long, long way to go to where you want to get to but the chemistry between everybody, the support, the players is absolutely brilliant.”
Rochdale had one or two chances but centre-halves Luke Chambers and Luke Woolfenden repelled everything which was thrown at them and keeper Will Norris wasn’t overly stretched.
"As I said before, we’re never going to come to games and teams aren’t going to get chances, whether that’s from a corner or a freekick or a shot at the goal,” he said.
"But we defending strongly, Will’s not really had a save and in the second half we controlled the game.”
Gwion Edwards played the whole game at right-back, although Lambert says the Welshman wasn’t always in his mind to play that role.
"No, not really,” he admitted. "I’ve got a game on Saturday so I’ll look at that. There are lads back at the training ground that will play. It wasn’t something in my head, we spoke about and then decided to run with it.
"He was excellent, really good. You know exactly what you’re going to get with Gwion. There’s never a moment when I think I’m going to get anything other than a lad that’s full of energy and gives you everything he’s got. He’s a terrific lad to work with.”
Despite the victory, it was a comparatively frustrating night for strike pair Kayden Jackson and James Norwood with the latter picking up a booking for a petulant foul.
"You can’t curtail that, that’s what’s made him what he is today", Lambert said. "He’s a handful, no doubt about it, he’s a handful and I’m delighted with him because he came back from an operation not long ago, so his progress has been really, really good.”
Lambert was pleased to be able to call on Cole Skuse with the veteran midfielder having been a doubt with the groin injury he suffered at Southend.
"He trained during the week, last week,” he said. "Cole, like Gwion, you know exactly what you’re going to get, that’s the beauty of Cole.
"He’s unbelievably consistent the way he plays. As I’ve said before, I wish I’d had Cole when he was 26 or 27 but I don’t I have him at the wrong age but what he’s doing for me has been absolutely brilliant.”
The victory takes the Blues back to the top of the division but Lambert reiterated that he pays little attention to tables at this point in the campaign: "May, ask me in May, then we’ll see.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s FA Cup at home to Lincoln, he says he’s not sure about the side he’ll field.
"I don’t know, I’ll wait and see,” he added. "Guys will play that have not been here. Guys who have not had minutes will play.
"We need everybody as I said before. We can’t play 46 games-plus with the same guys, it’s impossible. Whoever plays, I trust them to perform, I trust them to play. We’re in a good place.”