David Cuffley Norwich City boss Paul Lambert insists that getting out of League One remains an immediate target - despite the gap that has already opened up at the top of the table.

David Cuffley

Norwich City boss Paul Lambert insists that getting out of League One remains an immediate target - despite the gap that has already opened up at the top of the table.

Saturday's results left the Canaries in 14th place after nine games, already 15 points adrift of leaders Leeds and 13 behind second-placed Charlton.

But asked if promotion was still the aim, Lambert said: “Of course it is, for a club this size. The club should be better than what it is, that's for sure.

“You always put pressure on yourself to get out of the league and that's not changed, not changed one bit.”

City have played four league matches without a win since back-to-back victories over Wycombe and Hartlepool, and Lambert admitted it worried him.

“When you're not winning, of course it does, but what's happened in the last two games has been brilliant,” he said. “Everybody sees it. The fans see it, which is really important to us. They saw a team that has not wilted.”

He said the performance in the 1-1 draw at Gillingham was “as well as we've played since I've been here”.

“You can say we've not won, but it's only one in six where we've been beaten, so there are two ways to look at it - and I always look at the positive side of it,” he said.

“You need luck, of course you do. You need luck for something to happen, but luck will only take you so far. It's the same group of lads who were here at the start of the season and I'm pretty sure if you ask a lot of people they will see a big difference in them.”

Tonight's opponents, Leyton Orient, have already put one over Lambert this season, winning 2-1 at Colchester in the Carling Cup just three days after the U's won 7-1 at Carrow Road.

“It is a tough game, it always is - any team coming to Norwich is tough, it doesn't matter who it is,” said Lambert.