Norwich maintained their impressive start to the Championship season with a 3-1 win over Millwall at Carrow Road that sent them third in the table. The young winger Jonathan Rowe opened the scoring, with Josh Sargent and Ashley Barnes putting the hosts in control. The Canaries have picked up seven points from nine, behind only Leicester and Ipswich in the early promotion race. A late strike from the substitute Aidomo Emakhu proved little consolation for Millwall’s travelling contingent, who expressed their displeasure with the manager, Gary Rowett, during the game. “If you are a fan you spend a lot of time and money on following your club and you can say what you want,” Rowett said afterwards. “I understand they were frustrated with a poor performance but as a human being what they were saying about me is something I found disappointing and hurtful,” he added. “No one likes to hear things like that said about them but I have to take it on the chin. I suppose I would prefer them to take it out on me than the players.” Norwich were soon into their stride on a sunny afternoon at Carrow Road and Sargent was only inches wide with a first-time drive after just six minutes. The pressure continued, with Gabriel Sara’s curling free-kick tipped around a post by Matija Sarkic, before the hosts made their early dominance count in the 25th minute. Excellent first-touch passes from Sara and then Barnes saw the ball fed into the path of Rowe just inside the box, and the in-form winger produced a sublime rising finish into the top corner. Rowe then sent a powerful header narrowly wide from Christian Fassnacht’s deep cross as Norwich finished the first half on top. David Wagner’s side wasted no time in doubling their advantage after the break, Sargent netting his second of the season in the 49th minute. The American frontman had little trouble heading past Sarkic from Sara’s delivery, with his effort going in off the far post. Barnes quickly got in on the act, making it 3-0 after 56 minutes following more ragged defending from the Lions. This time Shaun Hutchinson and Jake Cooper got in each other’s way as they attempted to clear Jack Stacey’s low cross and the ball fell kindly for Barnes to turn and fire home from eight yards out. The game fizzled out after that, with the destination of the points clearly decided. Emakhu tucked home a neat consolation in stoppage time, long after Millwall fans had made their feelings on the afternoon’s display known. “I am very pleased with the performance,” Wagner said. “We created many opportunities, scored some good goals and could have scored more. We were also solid at the back and showed the sort of fight you always have to have against a side like Millwall.” Tsohe former Huddersfield manager added: “I had a feeling in pre-season that we had got something going here and we have now carried that on into the season proper. We have performed well so far and although it is only early days, we have given ourselves a good platform to build on.” Wagner was full of praise for Barnes, who opened his Norwich account by netting his 100th goal as a professional player. “The goals speak for themselves with Ashley but he is also very good defensively and works his socks off for the team,” Wagner said. “I love working with him, he is a good pro and a great guy as well.” Rowett was left to focus on turning things back around after “a great start at Middlesbrough”, where they won 1-0, was followed by “three poor defeats” including 1-0in the league to Bristol City and 4-0 in the Carabao Cup to Reading, both at home. “I can take getting outplayed by Norwich, because they are a good side who will be up there at the end of the season, but I can’t take getting out-fought and out worked,” Rowett added. “I was very disappointed with the way we played today.”