Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he was delighted with the way his team dealt with the “massive game” against Leyton Orient.
The Bees picked up their third win in seven days by beating the East London side away from home yesterday afternoon.
The points were enough to send Brentford above Orient and back in to the Sky Bet League One promotion places, having started the day a place and a point behind, third in the table.
Marcello Trotta scored the only goal of the game in first half stoppage time but that tells half the story.
James Tarkowski was sent off for two bookable offences – a decision Mark said he had no complaints about – and Brentford played from the 50th minute onwards with ten men.
They did, however, limit the home side to few chances and took the points.
Mark said he had tried to play down the importance of the match, shown live on Sky Sports, in the build-up but everyone knew what was at stake.
He said he wanted his team to play their game and avoid being drawn in to a melee, a feat he thought they achieved.
“There was a packed house, a volatile crowd and lots at stake,” said Mark, speaking after the match.
“We talk about it being another three points but the fact is it was a big derby today, it was second versus third.
“I was delighted with the way the boys reacted to it.
“We tried to avoid being drawn in to a melee.
“There was a lot of shouting, screaming and passion, the key for us was to focus on what we do well.
“I can talk about it being another game but the players aren’t stupid.
“We have a sell-out crowd, second against third, East London against West London, the TV cameras are here.
“It was a massive game.
“I thought the pressure was more on Orient and we dealt with it well.
“We had to impose ourselves on the game.”
Mark said Brentford had to deal with Orient’s direct play and praised his players for the way they stood up.
He added the ten men that saw out the final 40 minutes, plus five minutes of stoppage time, were “magnificent”.
“We started really brightly,” said Mark
“We had to deal with some very good forward play.
“They were direct but did it really well.
“We stood up.
“After the sending off of James, and he will learn from that, I thought we were magnificent.”
Mark said he had heard someone from Sky Sports saying his team would settle for a draw.
He said he sent his side out to win every match.
“One of the guys from Sky gave us our team talk at the start of the game when he said we’d be happy for a point – absolutely not,” said Mark.
“The boys know if they impose themselves and do what they do well, they can beat anybody.
“That will always be our approach.
“We want to play our game at our tempo.”
Brentford’s goal came in the 47th minute of the first half.
Alan McCormack received a pass from George Saville and played it in to Adam Forshaw, his back heel ran in to the path of Marcello Trotta and he smashed home from 20 yards.
Mark hailed it as an “outstanding strike”.
“That is what Marcello Trotta does,” said the Brentford Manager.
“I thought he was a bit loose at times, as were some others, in key areas.
“Marcello had an excellent first touch and it was a great strike, an outstanding strike.”
After James Tarkowski was sent off Harlee Dean was brought on, replacing Marcello Trotta, to partner Tony Craig at the heart of the defence.
David Button had one save to make, from Moses Odubajo, late on but Brentford’s defence kept them out.
Mark praised Harlee Dean for stepping in after missing the past three matches with injury.
“David Button made a great save,” said Mark.
“Harlee Dean came back after an injury problem.
“He was with the medical team all week and joined us late on.
“He stepped in magnificently and did well after being away.
“We have three very good centre halves and Kevin O’Connor behind them.”
James Tarkowski was booked in the first half for a foul on Scott Cuthbert in the right wing position.
His second yellow came when he had a heavy touch in midfield and lunged in on Romain Vincelot.
Mark had no complaints about the sending off and said James would learn from it.
“We have no argument with the sending off,” he said.
“When a centre half gets a yellow card early he is on a knife edge.
“James will learn from that.
“The team learned loads.
“Look at the team spirit and the way we dug in.”
Mark said all ten of his players were “fantastic” in the second period.
He said his squad had learned after narrowly missing out on promotion last season, finishing third in League One and losing the Play-Off Final, and were in good shape for the final 11 games.
“It sounds corny but all ten of them were fantastic,” said Mark.
“George Saville is 20, Adam Forshaw is 22, Harlee Dean is 22, Alan Judge looks like an old man in this team at 25.
“The senior pros – Tony Craig, Alan McCormack, Jonathan Douglas, Clayton Donaldson – put in outstanding performances.
“The players learnt from what happened last year and we are in good shape to keep pushing forward.”
Mark Warburton’s full post-match reaction is available here for Bees Player subscribers