Alan McCormack hailed a “great performance” from Brentford after they drew 0-0 with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Bees travelled to Molineux Stadium to take on the Sky Bet League One leaders and left with a share of the spoils.
Alan said it was an entertaining game and one that was great to be involved in.
He said The Bees were solid and worked hard and deserved a share of the spoils.
“It was a very entertaining game, said Alan.
“It was end-to-end for a lot of it.
“They threw it long at the end, which you expect, they are chasing a goal.
“We defended well and so did they.
“The lads, in the dressing room, were saying it was a great game to be involved in, you don’t get many of them in the season.
“It was well deserved and a good hard-fought point.
“We were very solid and hard-working.
“We could have snatched it.
“We work hard off the ball and that is getting better every week.
“It was a great performance to get the point.”
Alan said both sets of supporters helped to make the game and Wolves pushed forward whenever they could.
He said the first 15 minutes was hard work when the home side were on top and went close to taking the lead, particularly when Leigh Griffiths hit the post.
He said Brentford’s resistance showed why they were fourth in League One, and climbing.
“When you come to grounds like these, the fans help them,” said Alan, speaking to Bees Player after the match.
“They encourage them, especially when they attack.
“Their fans were great at that today.
“Ours were as well; we have brought great numbers here.
“Every time they had a chance to go forward they did.
“They did it with pace and power and the first 15 minutes was hard.
“We had to find a second wind early on, you don’t get that often.
“But we showed why we are where we are and why we feel we can go higher.”
Alan was part of a defensive unit that has conceded two goals in seven unbeaten matches, one of which was a last minute goal in a game already won, and none in the last five.
He said Wolves strikers Leigh Griffiths and Kevin Doyle, both internationals, were a test but Brentford had done their research and central defenders Harlee Dean and Tony Craig won their aerial battle.
“We watched a lot of their play,” said Alan.
“We knew our positional play had to be excellent.
“Our centre halves won a lot of headers and that is not easy against two international forwards
“They have been around a long time and we kept them quiet.
“They didn’t threaten in behind us.
“We wanted to keep them in the centre of the pitch and we did that.”
Alan came closest to winning the game for The Bees inside the last five minutes.
He latched on to a half cleared cross and smashed a volley towards the top corner that Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme somehow turned away.
Alan said extra fitness work had helped The Bees keep going in the final stages.
“We did extra fitness work this week to make sure we were ready,” he said.
“We knew the last ten to 15 minutes would be key, either defending or trying to get something.
“It is difficult to do but the work off the pitch was evident.
“I am still wondering if a yard left or right it would have gone in.
“It came out and I could see it happening.
“I took a gamble; the manager has been on at me to get forward.
“The keeper pulled off a great save.”
Brentford’s next match is also against one of the teams above them.
They welcome Peterborough United, who are third in the table – one point and one place ahead of The Bees – to Griffin Park on Tuesday.
Alan said The Bees wanted to test themselves against the best teams in the league and felt they were in that company.
He said they had to keep working hard to stay there.
“You have to test yourselves against the best,” said Alan.
“We have proved so far, apart from a little blip, we will be one of the best teams in the division.
“We work hard in training.
“This week was probably the hardest we have worked.
“The attitude to want to win tackles and headers, you can’t take that away.
“We have to keep working hard and keep doing the right things.”
A full post-match interview with Alan McCormack is available here for Bees Player subscribers.