DELIGHTED Bristol City manager Derek McInnes was keen to accentuate the positives after watching his side win at home for the first time in four months.
Under pressure following a dismal return of two points from nine Championship games at Ashton Gate since the start of September, the Scot derived immense encouragement from Saturday's 4-2 victory over fellow strugglers Peterborough United.
Although City remain in the relegation zone, they are now off the foot of the table and enter the New Year just three points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Sheffield Wednesday and safety.
Having sent the home fans home happy for the first time since Cardiff were beaten 4-2 on August 25, McInnes spoke of his optimism for a brighter future in 2013.
He said: "That was a positive performance and I think the home crowd needed to see their team play in that manner.
"We need to be more positive with one another. I'm just pleased for a lot of people.
"We've left the home support a bit dejected and disappointed in recent weeks, especially after the last couple of home games. But this was a much better performance, we played some brilliant stuff and I hope everyone is encouraged by that. We certainly are.
"There is no pride in being where we are at the moment and we have a lot of work still to do. But I have every confidence we will get the job done over the course of the campaign.
"With performances like the one we had against Peterborough, we will prove our worth and get ourselves up the table. We just have to make sure there is a consistency to us, a confidence and a belief to help us get away from the bottom of the table."
Although Peterborough were handicapped by the sending off of striker Lee Tomlin after 11 minutes, there was no arguing with the emphatic nature of City's performance.
The Robins scored four goals, missed a host of other chances and were, by far, the better team.
McInnes said: "The three points was the most important thing, but to get that level of performance was very pleasing.
"While it was 11 versus 11, we were the better team and, when it was 11 against ten, we were the better team.
"Obviously, having a man sent off made things more difficult for Peterborough, but we've passed up loads of chances and hit the woodwork a couple of times.
"Some of our play was really slick and incisive and there was a real pace and energy about us. We stretched them, played the ball from side to side and our front two and our movement caused them problems.
"I felt we knocked the stuffing out of Peterborough by keeping the ball and playing at a tempo. We won the game comfortably and have to be pleased with that.
"The goals we gave away were disappointing but, let's not kid ourselves, over the piece we were the better side and we have to be encouraged by that."
City travel to south London to take on play-off contenders Millwall tomorrow and McInnes called upon his team to demonstrate greater consistency during the second half of the campaign.
He said: "We have to make sure there is a consistency now, a confidence and a belief. Hopefully, we can now go on the kind of run that will help us get away from the bottom. One win will not help us do that and we need a consecutive run of results."
City's majority shareholder, Steve Lansdown, pictured, took to the field at half-time to thank City's fans for the support they had given the team over the past 12 months, adding that he would do everything in his power to keep City in the Championship.
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