Tony Mowbray praised Birmingham after they “found a way” to edge a lively 2-1 win at Stoke.
The new boss stretched his unbeaten start to three games in all competitions as Blues rose to eight points above the relegation zone.
“I’m really pleased for the supporters behind the goal,” said Mowbray.
“It’s my first experience of the away support from Birmingham City and it was big and loud and noisy; it’s great that they could celebrate a win.
“We found a way today and that’s the important thing in football but we can’t play like we did in that second half every week because we won’t win many matches.”
Jay Stansfield opened the scoring inside 10 minutes as he rifled home his eighth league goal of the season.
The Potters responded positively to their early setback but struggled to convert their dominance into chances.
And the visitors capitalised shortly after the restart thanks to Juninho Bacuna’s exquisite free-kick from 25 yards.
Jordan Thompson halved the hosts’ arrears late on, but Birmingham held on for a vital victory.
“First half, the game plan was good and we looked like we could break away and score,” Mowbray added.
“That’s probably the best football that Stoke have played for a long time and Steven (Schumacher) deserves a lot of credit for that.
“They were good today and in the second half, we went into protection mode, but we managed to see it out.
“You can give your team organisation and structure and I thought we saw the game out well today against as good a Stoke team as I’ve seen.
“I like a lot of what we’ve got at this football club; I’ve just got to change the mentality a little bit.
“The vast majority of them are very humble and hard-working and it’s hurt them where they are, but we’re only here to win now.”
It was a frustrating afternoon for Stoke, whose five-match unbeaten start under Steven Schumacher came to an end.
Bae Jun-ho struck the bar, Michael Rose failed to convert from close-range and Ryan Mmaee missed a host of chances for the toothless Potters.
“It was disappointing to lose it and I don’t think we deserved to lose it,” said Schumacher.
“The performance was good bar a couple mistakes, but it’s two brilliant bits of quality that has decided the outcome.
“We got more in the dangerous areas than Birmingham did, but we didn’t make the most of it, so that’s disappointing.
“It’s important that we are creating chances; that wasn’t the case a few weeks ago, so now I need the lads to show their quality and composure.
“With the way we’ll play and the way we’ll get forward, they’ll get chances so now we’ve got to find a way to take them.
“I’ve got belief in the squad; the players have got quality but they’ve got to make the most of big opportunities.”
Simeone insists Atletico 'cannot stop pushing' after narrow Mallorca win
Diego Simeone insists Atletico Madrid "cannot stop pushing" in their pursuit of Champions League qualification after a narrow 1-0 victory over Mallorca.
Los Rojiblancos tightened their grip on fourth place in LaLiga, with Rodrigo Riquelme's fine individual effort in the fifth minute enough to secure back-to-back wins.
With four games remaining, Simeone's side moved onto 67 points, six clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, who they beat 3-1 last weekend.
The Atleti boss was thrilled by his players' performance levels, but has urged them not to rest on their laurels.
"The team interpreted the plan very well," he said. "The commitment was incredible from [Angel] Correa to [Jan] Oblak to play an intelligent game from a defensive point of view.
"After the goal, we controlled the game. We defended as a team and did a great job. We need to continue improving, and we can't stop pushing until the season is over."
Echoing his manager's thoughts, defender Axel Witsel told Movistar Plus+: "It was very important to win. We wanted to win and stay six points ahead. We have to keep it up.
"After Riquelme scored a fantastic goal, we managed to stay well-organised to secure the result."
'It hurts to lose' - Inzaghi apologises after Sassuolo defeat
Simone Inzaghi admits "it hurts to lose" following Inter's surprise 1-0 defeat by relegation-threatened Sassuolo.
The newly crowned Scudetto winners suffered only their second loss of the season in Serie A, as Armand Lauriente's first-half goal was enough to give the 19th-place hosts victory at Mapei Stadium.
Sassuolo, who boosted their survival hopes, subsequently completed the league double over the Nerazzurri, having also prevailed 2-1 at San Siro in September.
Meanwhile, Inter were beaten by a team in the bottom two for the first time since November 2014, with Inzaghi urging his players not to be distracted by their title triumph.
"We started sluggish and didn’t have the right approach to the game," he told Sky Sports Italia. "I'm sorry for the defeat, but credit must be given to Sassuolo for a performance of great effort and sacrifice.
"It's right to enjoy [our Scudetto victory], but there are still three games to go and we have to focus. It hurts to lose, and it should hurt."
After guiding Inter to their 20th Serie A crown, Inzaghi is hopeful he can keep the majority of his squad intact ahead of next season.
However, the Nerazzurri boss did emphasise the club's need to strengthen before launching their Scudetto defence.
"I already told the club that I want to go into next season with all the players I had this term, not losing a single one," he said. "Considering all the games we need to play and the length of the season, we do need a bigger squad."
Inter Miami 6-2 New York Red Bulls: Messi makes more MLS history as Suarez scores hat-trick
Lionel Messi had a hand in all six goals while Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Inter Miami overcame the New York Red Bulls 6-2 at Chase Stadium.
The Eastern Conference leaders were on a three-match winning streak in MLS, but fell behind to Dante Vanzeir's opener in the 30th minute.
However, the hosts turned the match on its head after the break, with Messi assisting a brace for half-time substitute Matias Rojas either side of getting on the scoresheet himself.
Suarez then took centre stage with a hat-trick inside 13 minutes - all assisted by his former Barcelona team-mate - while Emil Forsberg's stoppage-time penalty was a mere consolation for the visitors, who are now without a win in four.
Data debrief
Messi broke two more MLS records following yet another inspirational display for the Herons.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's six goal contributions and five assists were both the most recorded by a player in a single game.
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