Millwall 0-4 Ipswich Town: Kieran McKenna's verdict

Goals from Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore, sandwiched between a Wes Harding own goal, gave the Blues a three-goal lead going into half-time, with substitute Ali Al-Hamadi putting the icing on the cake with a stoppage-time penalty.

"It's a good night's work," said McKenna, whose team move back to within three points of second-place Leeds with a game in hand still to come.

Kieran McKenna celebrates at Millwall (Image: PA Images)
"It's a team performance where we had to show all the different elements that are required to win games in the Championship.

"I thought our defending on set plays was really good. We probably had more against us than we would really want, but we defended them really well and that's always a big part of the game coming here. In the first 15 minutes we needed to stay strong to that, which is a good step forwards for us. 

"I thought we were solid in free play, controlled large chunks of the game and though we didn't create loads of opportunities we were really clinical when they came. Once we were able to impose ourselves I felt we were fully in control and were able to change gears whenever we needed to and go through them as well."

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This was Town's first clean sheet since a 0-0 draw at Stoke on New Year's Day, the first time they'd scored the game's first goal (in the league) since the 2-2 home draw with Norwich on December 16 and their league win on the road since a 2-1 victory at Watford back on December 12.

"Look, I think we were long due a night like that to be honest," said McKenna. "Statistically, over the last nine games we've had more shots and had less against, and had more xG (expected goals) and less (xG) against, than we had in the first nine games of the season. Sometimes football works like that.

"Tonight we were clinical. There were little bits of fortune, not loads, but of course when the own goal goes in (for 2-0) that's an important moment. I think we were long overdue a night where things went our way. We've earned that, not just tonight but with some good performances in recent weeks."

Asked whether this result can breath some life back into his team's automatic promotion chances, the Blues boss said: "What's really important to me is that when we're not winning week-in, week-out during a phase of the season when we had a of injuries, we're trying to integrate new players, we've had some things go against us, that everyone in the building has stayed really calm and kept full belief in how we work. We've just stayed focused on the performances and our processes.

"We've been competitive in every game and that's not easy to do in the Championship. Maybe the Leeds game (4-0 away defeat) is the only one that opened up really, other than that we've been competitive across 31 games against some really, really good sides.

"I sometimes take more pride in the culture that we've built when things don't go our way. I know we'll all keep pulling in the same direction and that if we keep doing the right things then good things will come our way."