Brian Barry-Murphy was "over the moon with the result and performance" after Cardiff City extended their League One unbeaten run to eight matches with a comprehensive victory over Barnsley on Tuesday.
The league leaders eased to a 4-0 triumph over a Tykes side who have now only won one in their last seven matches.
Cardiff dominated much of the game, and could have won by an even greater margin with substitute Callum Robinson striking the bar.
Barry-Murphy suggested the Bluebirds' win was "was not as easy as the scoreline suggested".
"It was a very difficult first half for us. We scored really early, but Barnsley posed a real threat and I think most of the goals came from when they had possession." said the Cardiff boss.
"We were very aggressive in how we tried to win the ball back and attack quickly, which is something that we've needed to be better at this season, so I'm very pleased with the performance."
Cardiff's quick, aggressive play was on display in an abundance for the second goal.
When the ball fell to Omari Kellyman just inside the Barnsley half, the on-loan Chelsea man drove forward before a perfectly weighted ball to Chris Willock, who found the bottom corner.
Willock later scored his second goal – and Cardiff's fourth – when he raced clear before delightfully chipping onrushing Barnsley keeper Owen Goodman to cap off a brilliant individual and team performance.
While Barry-Murphy said Cardiff's closest challengers at the top end of the table are "really strong teams and in great form", his team are in good shape too.
He added: "I'm very pleased with the players' efforts and that constant obsession of striving for improved performances is at the very front of our minds.
"Like I've said consistently, we can improve a lot and that's still the case."
The Barnsley shutout means Cardiff have 11 league clean sheets, more than any other side in the division, but Barry-Murphy still sees left-back as a "position of high priority" before next Monday's transfer deadline.
