Stuart Dallas said he was delighted to score a stoppage time winner for Brentford against Derby County yesterday.
The Northern Ireland international came off the substitute’s bench to score the winner at Griffin Park and knock Derby off the top of the Sky Bet Championship.
Stuart has missed six weeks through injury and came on for the last quarter of the match.
When a ball came across from the right in stoppage time he smashed it in to the top corner to win the game.
Stuart said it was a chance that need to be taken and Brentford deserved the win for their performance overall.
“It all happened a bit quickly,” he said.
“We were pushing forward and we are told to get in at the back post and take a chance.
“Thankfully it came through to me and I was able to get on the end of it.
“At this level you have to take your chances, if you don’t, you will be punished.
“We had a few chances, those split-second chances you have to take.
“Thankfully I was able to put it away.
“It seemed to take forever to hit the net.
“I was delighted to score the goal but the performance through the 90 minutes show the fine margins between the teams in the league.
“I thought the lads were excellent today.”
Derby started the game very brightly and deserved to be ahead when Chris Martin scored just before the half hour.
But Brentford fought back and levelled through Andre Gray just after half time.
Both teams chased the winner but Brentford had the upper hand and got it at the death.
“There will always be times when you will be under pressure,” said Stuart.
“The boys at the back stood firm.
“We defend from the front, that comes from Andre.
“It was a great all-round performance.”
Stuart explained a thigh injury had kept him out.
He picked it up in early September when he was on international duty and then played against Brighton and Hove Albion and Norwich just afterwards before it was decided he needed to sit out.
He hailed the medical staff for their work in getting him back.
“I have been out for a while with a thigh injury,” said Stuart.
“I was out for longer than I thought I would be.
“I did it when I was with Northern Ireland before the Hungary game.
“I came back and played half an hour against Brighton and 65 minutes against Norwich.
“It wasn’t right.
“The decision was taken to keep me out to get it right.
“All credit to the staff, they have got me back fit and I was glad to be on the pitch today.”
Stuart said he had kept fit while he was out and knew his job when he came on.
He said it was important to keep up the intensity of Brentford’s play and be ready to take the chance when it comes.
“You have to be ready to come on,” said Stuart.
“It is credit to the coaching staff.
“I have been out for so long but have been keeping fit.
“As a substitute you have to keep the intensity in the game.
“There was a high intensity and we have to keep that up.
“We had a few chances but put one away.”
Stuart hailed Brentford’s fans for the way they roared the team to the win.
“From the start of the second half we had the momentum,” he said.
“Playing at Griffin Park with the fans behind you it is not nice for any team to come here.
“We proved it today.
“The crowd is unbelievable.
“They are a 12th man, they pull us through.”
Brentford have two away fixtures this week – against Nottingham Forest and Millwall – and Stuart said they were the sort of games players wanted to be involved in.
He said The Bees had shown they could match anyone in the Championship.
“These are the sort of games you want to play in,” said Stuart.
“You want to play in big games.
“Derby are one of the best sides in the league but we have shown we can match them.
“We have a tough week coming up but we will prepare and take one game at a time.”
A video interview with Stuart Dallas is available here for Bees Player subscribers.