Sam Allardyce was a proud man after seeing his ten-man West Ham United side run out deserved 2-1 winners against Millwall on Saturday.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Hammers outplayed the visitors for much of the game to extend their lead at the top of the npower Championship table to four points following Southampton's draw with Birmingham. Big Sam looks likely to enjoy a slightly clearer schedule in the build up to Saturday's visit to Peterborough following the drama of last week's loss at Ipswich and last-minute transfer window negotiations.
"To us it feels like a six pointer after being with ten men from nine minutes in," Allardyce said. "We've got to continue to understand there are no easy games for this division and we played an Ipswich side that tore us to bits on occasions. If you allow complacency to slip in you'll see what you get as we did at Ipswich.
"Every time apart from once this season when we've had a hiccup we've bounced back. Doing it under the circumstances we were faced with on Saturday should help us kick on from here and it was a fantastic result and a fantastic three points."
Another tough game against Peterborough now awaits Allardyce's side, but they will certainly go into the match in high spirits following a superb demonstration of teamwork, effort and resilience against their local rivals.
"If anyone doubted our character we answered their questions on Saturday. It was a terrific result on the back of losing so shockingly to Ipswich. I knew it would be hard with ten men and it just shows everybody who had a bit of doubt about the team that we have spirit there in abundance.
"The desire to get out of this division was shown in every department by all the players who took part and the willingness to work hard for each other, cover for each other and support each other. We then still had the belief to go forward and to create chances and to win it. It sent everyone home 100 per cent delighted.
"Momentum comes from slowly building a unity among your side so teaching it is not the right word but building it is. It's about everybody pulling in the same direction and being nice to each other. They weren't so nice to each other after the Ipswich game on Tuesday which was good. It was good to see and they were digging themselves out on their own poor individual performances. They then took that on the chin and came back against Millwall."
The game's deciding goal was delivered through a cracking volley from an unlikely source in central defender Winston Reid just three minutes after Liam Trotter had cancelled out Carlton Cole's first-half opener. The Kiwi crashed an unstoppable 25-yard volley into the net to register a rare goal open-play goal for the Hammers.
"I've never even seem him score a goal like that in training," Big Sam added. "Perhaps we were a bit fortunate on the earlier decision on the keeper but he still had to put it in the net. I still think the keeper could have caught the ball and it could have been a foul then.
"It was a stunning finish. I thought it would have been tough for us to win the game after it had gone to 1-1 after all the effort we put in and we're down to ten men. Reid's goal was the first time we've scored in open play for God knows how long so it's been a long time coming.
"But that's why we've bought Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard particularly. That's why we're looking to up our record of goals from open play."
West Ham must do without the services of Nolan, whose dismissal for a tackle on Jack Smith meant the Hammers had to play for over 80 minutes with one man down. The West Ham captain will start a three-match ban as a result of the red card, missing the games with Peterborough, Southampton and Blackpool.
"We have got the squad together to compensate and hopefully we'll get someone now to come and fill in. We've didn't do so badly without him on Saturday so we have to make sure we do alright without him next time!"
Nolan's early exit meant a quick change in formation and the responsibility of leading the forward line fell almost solely to Carlton Cole. The West Ham No9 rose to the challenge superbly, with Allardyce joining Millwall manager Kenny Jackett in warmly praising his performance after the game.
"The good thing about the balls that were going up to Carlton was that they were good enough to hold on to as had we just been knocking it up into the air and not with a bit of quality then it would be difficult for him.
"His control and his desire to hold on to the ball gave us real opportunities to get forward and push men forward. It also gives the midfield players and the widemen the confidence to set off early, so when the ball gets delivered to Carlton people know we can create an attacking situation where we can score a goal. We did it very well, certainly at the back end of the second half and that's why we got the goal.
While wanting to keep the result in perspective, Allardyce believes the nature of the victory could prove key as the season draws to a potentially dramatic conclusion.
"I hope it might be a defining moment as there has been a lot of pressure on us because we're expected to do it and sometimes that can get us a bit nervous and a bit anxious. A performance like this and a victory likes this should diminish all those fears you might have in your ability and say 'Come on let's push on and flourish from here.'
"It's not that easy as it's the business end of the season and those at the top end and bottom end are fighting and the fans get more and more nervous. You've got to be able to keep the right composure on the field and I thought our composure in possession was great."