Assistant Manager David Weir praised the way Brentford’s players “battled back” from having a penalty given for them and then the decision changed to earn a point away to Sheffield United.
The Bees drew 0-0 at Bramall Lane on Tuesday evening, dominating the game without finding a way through.
The game’s key incident – one that David said he did not expect anyone involved would ever see again – came just past the half hour.
Marcello Trotta got away from the home defence in the inside right channel and burst in to the penalty area.
Kieron Freeman lunged in with a tackle as the striker prepared to pull the trigger and the Brentford man went down.
Referee Eddie Ilderton, who was well-placed to see if the defender had played the striker before he got a clear foot on the ball, pointed for a penalty and sent the Sheffield United man off.
He then spoke to assistant referee Mark Dwyer and changed his mind, recalled the defender, now in the mouth of the tunnel, and gave a drop ball.
“I don’t think we will ever top that, no matter where we play or manage, any of us, in our careers,” said David, speaking to Bees Player: Match day Live after the game.
“To go from having a penalty and being a man up and in a great position to win the game, all of a sudden the momentum changes.
“I can’t believe it.
“It shouldn’t happen.
“I am not sure about the decision; it probably wasn’t a red card.
“The referee has given the penalty and then the red card, then walked over and changed his mind.
“I don’t know how he could get it so wrong.
“It is worrying.
“This is a major decision in a major game for us.
“These lads are desperate to play in The Championship, desperate to be successful, desperate to be part of a good story here.
“To handle the disappointment was great credit to them.
“It would have been easy to use it as a hard luck story and get nothing.
“But they took it on the chin, battled back and came back stronger.”
David said Brentford were on the front foot from the first minute to the last at Bramall Lane.
He said The Bees deserved to win the match.
“We preached to the lads to be on the front foot and tonight they were, from the first minute to the last minute,” said David.
“Circumstances were difficult; this is a difficult place to come.
“They are a decent team; they work hard and make it difficult for you.
“The lads went toe-to-toe, they looked strong, looked fit and we tried to win the game.
“I believe we deserved to win it.
“We are all disappointed not to win.
“We expect to come and win the game, that shows the level we are at.
“That is this group.
“We want to pick up three points but sometimes you don’t get what you want.
“There is no doubt about what we deserve at the end of the season and as long as we get that we will be happy.”
David said he could not fault the effort or application from any of the players and if Brentford kept performing in that way, they would be fine.
“You can go through the team and praise players for effort and their level of play,” he said.
“If we keep doing that we will be fine.
“The strikers are disappointed but we keep asking them to hit the target and get in to positions, and they were.
“We are not happy not to score but the effort and application was great.
“If we keep doing the right things, good things will happen.”
Brentford are second in Sky Bet League One after a run of three consecutive away games in a week.
They now have two home games coming up, against Notts County on Saturday and Crawley Town on Tuesday.
“We have rest and recovery before Saturday,” said David.
“We then start to think about the next game.
“We have two home games coming up and can go in full of confidence after the performance tonight.
“Players never feel 100 per cent at this stage.
“These lads will battle their bodies to get on the pitch.”
The best bits from Tuesday’s Bees Player: Match Day Live will be available soon.