Dean Smith pleased with Norwich performance in win over Huddersfield

Norwich manager Dean Smith was happy to see his side get their Championship campaign up and running by beating 10-man Huddersfield 2-1 at Carrow Road.

Early goals from Josh Sargent and Danel Sinani settled the nerves for the Canaries, who had started the evening bottom of the table, and they went to complete a well deserved first league win.

Substitute Pat Jones pulled one back late on for Huddersfield, who were forced to play almost half the match with 10 men following Tom Lees’ red card, but it was not enough.

Smith said: “We got the win, that’s the most important thing, but I was very happy with the performance as well and the work-rate too.

“To be honest that’s the way we played in our two previous matches (a 1-1 draw with Wigan and a 2-1 defeat at Hull) but this time we have taken a couple of our chances early on and I am delighted for the lads.

“To be honest we should have scored a lot more and I would have preferred it if Josh had run through and scored rather than being pulled back for the red card.

“Once they went down to 10 men it changed the game and they sat back and waited for a break. They got a goal out of the blue but we saw it out and got what we deserved in the end.”

Teemu Pukki, Norwich’s top scorer for the last three seasons, missed the game with a minor knock but should be back in contention for Friday’s home clash with Millwall.

Smith added: “Teemu had an X-ray after taking a knock on his foot at Hull which thankfully came out clear. But his foot was still a bit puffy to get a boot on so we didn’t risk him.”

Norwich made a bright start and took only six minutes to get their noses in front, Sargent beating keeper Lee Nicholls with a glancing header from a Sinani cross.

The hosts continued to dominate