Dean Smith praised the character of his players as they came from behind twice to pick up a point against Cardiff City at Griffin Park this afternoon. The Welsh side led at the break thanks to Peter Whittingham’s penalty but The Bees levelled with seven minutes to play through Sullay Kaikai. Kenneth Zohore made it 2-1 in the final minute but again it was Kaikai on target, this time with a header, to secure a point for The Bees. Speaking after the game, Dean was in no doubt that The Bees deserved something from the game.
“We had some good chances during the game,” said Dean, speaking to Bees Player at full-time. “For the first 20 minutes we controlled things but then they scored a soft penalty and we seemed to lose a little bit of confidence from there. We were looking for Scott Hogan and Lasse Vibe in behind when it was on to play through the middle. We spoke about that at half-time and I thought we started the second-half better. It was always in my mind to change things if there was a flat period. Sullay Kaikai and Josh McEachran came on and that seemed to do the trick for a while but we gave a poor second goal away. We have gone for the winner, as I like the players to do, but we have to be balanced behind as we got done by one ball straight down the middle. It is great that we had the comeback today and got the point for the supporters. It wouldn’t have been nice getting beaten in a game where we ended up having 68 per cent possession and having more chances than they did.”
Cardiff’s first-half penalty, given for a foul by Andreas Bjelland on Sean Morrison, was the fourth that The Bees had conceded in their last seven Championship games while themselves still waiting to be awarded a spot-kick this term.
“It is a soft penalty: Andreas Bjelland holds him but the lad goes down very softly,” said Dean. “I would be amazed if there was no holding in their penalty area from our corners. For us to go through the season so far without a penalty is amazing. We have had three or four penalty shouts today and didn’t get them. We have to concentrate on what we do not what the officials do.”
Today’s brace were Sullay Kaikai’s first goals in a Brentford shirt since mid-September. The Crystal Palace loanee has been in and out of the team in recent weeks but Dean saw today’s double as a reward for the hard work that he has been putting in.
“It was a great strike for his first,” said Dean. “The reason that he scores that is because he practices that every day on the training ground. He has a dedication and desire to get better and he deserved those goals today. I have always had faith in Sullay. I saw him at Shrewsbury Town and I like him as a lad as well. He is modest and hard-working but has an edge about him and I like that.”