Midfielder Jonathan Rowe scored for a fourth straight game as unbeaten Norwich cruised past Millwall below par at Carrow Road.

The visitors’ defense were guilty of Norwich’s second goal, awarding a free-kick for Josh Sargent to meet Gabriel Sara’s free-kick and nod a header at the right post.

Jack Stacey’s cross at the near post broke into Barnes who powered a low finish into the far corner for his 100th league goal before Millwall substitute Aidomo Emakhu swept away a nice consolation in time stop.

After seeing their play-off push wane last season, Norwich started with intent, picking up seven points and scoring nine goals in three league games to move up to third place, while 16th-placed Millwall lost their three last matches in all competitions. .

Millwall seemed content to contain Norwich’s attacking instincts, but the Canaries moved the ball with pace and found some joy down the left, Sargent punching in a first shot from 20 yards just inches beyond the left post.

And it showed again in the 25th minute when Rowe stepped in from the channel and passed the ball to Barnes – making his 500th career appearance – whose deft touch scored the 20-year-old’s fourth goal of the season .

Sara impressed once again, forcing Millwall keeper Matija Sarkic to parry his free-kick around the post before firing in another free-kick for Sargent to score his second of the season three minutes after the break.

Barring a flurry of attack in stoppage time, the Lions offered little threat, but were almost offered a way back when Norwich lost possession playing from behind.

Yet Zian Flemming’s shot was blocked and the Canaries then broke to land a third punch in the 56th minute to kill the game as Barnes opened his account for the club.

The fight came out on the deflated side of Gary Rowett whose defeat could easily have been heavier, Sarkic denying Sargent a second and Christian Fassnacht planting a free header over the bar.

Emakhu headed to the edge of the box and swept a fine finish inside the far post to deny Norwich a first league clean sheet of the season, but that and a succession of corners were too little, much too late.

Norwich City manager David Wagner told BBC Radio Norfolk:

“It was a great all-round performance. Defensively we were super solid outside of stoppage time, we really took them away from our goal, and offensively we were able to create chances and score three wonderful goals.

“You have to show a fighting spirit and a willingness to put on the toughest streak against Millwall.

“If you’re not in you’ll struggle, and we didn’t struggle today because we were top notch in terms of fighting spirit and the counter-press was great in the first half. time, so it was a deserved win.”

Millwall manager Gary Rowett told BBC Radio London:

“It was incredibly disappointing. To come into the first game of the season at Middlesbrough and play really, really well with real focus, real desire and real drive around us and then being so lackluster was a real disappointment.

“Norwich are a much better team than last season, they have some very good players and I think they played very well, but we have to make them work a lot harder than that.

“For me they got past us, they were quicker with the ball, they had a bit more desire to run in those areas and we conceded three pretty poor goals.

“If you don’t master the basics of football, the quality isn’t even in question.”