Saturday 7 May 2016 17:11, UK
Outgoing Blackburn Rovers boss Paul Lambert was delighted with the effort as his side defeated Reading 3-1 to end his tenure on a positive note.
Elliott Bennett and Danny Graham both struck brilliant volleys to put the hosts two up in 14 minutes and although Yann Kermogant's super free-kick reduced the deficit on the half-hour, the result was confirmed in the closing stages thanks to Simeon Jackson's close-range finish.
It was Blackburn's second win on the spin and ended a four-game Ewood Park spell without victory.
And while praising his team's efforts, Lambert again singled out the contribution of on-loan Graham who, he believes, will have plenty of summer offers after his seventh goal for the club.
He said: "All credit to them [the players]. To be fair we should have been five or six up in that first half.
"I can't ask any more from them. They gave us everything they had and it's a lot of the same guys that went week in, week out for us. We finished the season strongly which was important.
"I've got nothing but good things to say about the club and the players. There are some good players and I think they need help to sustain a challenge in this division.
"Benno's goal, his first touch was absolutely class, and Graham has been fantastic since he's been here. His goal, pulling off the back, brilliant finish and I'm pretty sure there'll be a lot of people after Danny."
Lambert's short spell ends with 10 league wins and he left by wishing the club future success. He also defended owners Venky's after the club's fans let their feelings be known continuously in the second half.
"I understand it but I don't agree with it. It doesn't do anybody any good," he said.
"If you really strip it back and what the owners have put into the club, there won't be too many owners that will put in that amount. It's been mismanaged in my opinion and I wish the club every success."
For Reading, the defeat at Ewood - a ground where they have never tasted victory - is the culmination of a horrendous run of form that has seen the Royals win just two of their last 19 away games in all competitions.
After a sixth reverse in the last seven outings, Reading manager Brian McDermott said the 'embarrassing' performance was indicative of the club's plight in recent years and he wants to change this trend.
He said: "It sums up where we've been in the last couple of years. We've got a lot of work to do, we know that.
"We have got to get the blend right, the chemistry right. We haven't got that right at the moment and that's not just been today. It's been a couple of years at least.
"We didn't get going, got ourselves back into it and thought we might get something from the game. It hasn't been about this game really. It's been about a couple of years and what we have to do moving forward.
"It's embarrassing because we've been on such a poor run. I know these fans really well so you don't want to be saying the same thing week in, week out and I certainly don't want to be sat here this time next season saying the same thing. We want to be in a different position."
