AUDIO: Manager Paul Lambert admitted Norwich City's early FA Cup exit was 'disappointing' – but insisted their Championship programme was more important.

'We never deserved anything from it,' he said after the 1-0 third round home defeat by Leyton Orient. 'When you set yourself high standards and you don't match them, it's disappointing but the main thing is the league.'

Lambert argued that City had almost too much possession, but too few ideas, against an Orient side who conceded five goals the previous week at Brighton.

'We had too much of the ball, which is sometimes detrimental to you, because you run out of ideas. We tried to score the perfect goal which was too hard for us,' he said.

'I'm disappointed to lose, everybody is, but I also know what the bigger picture is.

'As a team we weren't as fluent as we normally are. The lads know that themselves but we'll be a different animal next Saturday.'

Lambert left skipper Grant Holt and midfielder Andrew Crofts out of his starting eleven and gave 19-year-old Declan Rudd his third outing of the season in goal in place of John Ruddy.

'He did fine – he's only a young kid, and he's not played many. He had no chance with the goal,' he said. 'I changed it around a bit just to give other lads a game.'