Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he sent his players out against Fulham yesterday with a message to win the game for more than 6,000 fans that had made the trip to back them.
A total of 6,151 Bees fans followed Mark’s side to Craven Cottage for Brentford’s first West London derby against Fulham away from home since December 1997.
And they left happy as Brentford sealed a double over their neighbours with a 4-1 win.
Speaking after the match Mark analysed aspects of the victory but said the most pleasing part of his day was to send the travelling fans home with smiles on their faces.
“Our message in the dressing room was to send the fans home happy,” said the Brentford boss.
“We looked at their team and what they might do.
“We went through everything as normal but all we wanted was to send the fans home happy.
“The most pleasing thing today was to do it in front of the fans.
“The noise they made today was incredible and I was delighted to do it in front of them.”
Mark admitted that Fulham started the better but The Bees went in at half time in front thanks to a Stuart Dallas goal from 20 yards.
The Bees appeared to be cruising when Dallas grabbed his second, this time from even further out, but referee Simon Hooper awarded a penalty when Toumani Diagouraga won the ball with a sliding tackle on James Husband and Ross McCormack halved the deficit from the spot.
Mark said that changed the game but Alan Judge superbly curled in a free kick before setting Jota up to lash home first time from 18 yards.
Mark praised his players for not getting caught up in the atmosphere too often and playing their game and said his side scored “four excellent goals”.
“It was a tough game,” he said.
“The first five or ten minutes we got caught up in the atmosphere a bit, but that’s natural.
“We had a spell before half time where we didn’t take care of the football, when we did, we got the goal.
“It was our mistakes that gave them openings.
“Stuart Dallas scored a great first goal and it was an outstanding strike for the second.
“I was disappointed with the penalty, it was soft and it changed the game for ten minutes.
“It got the crowd up.
“But we didn’t get drawn in to a ‘Cup Final’ scenario and did what we do best, keep the football and move the football.
“We scored a tremendous third goal and Jota scored an even better one.
“We scored four excellent goals, it was really pleasing and I am delighted for our support.”
Mark said Fulham had the physical advantage even with internationals Scott Parker and Bryan Ruiz missing and that was amplified when they brought on towering striker Matt Smith.
He said his players knew they had to stop the delivery and pick up second balls and praised the way his side defended.
“They had some experienced players missing but they had physicality, even more so when Smith came on,” said Mark.
“We had to put pressure on the ball and stop the delivery.
“We defended stoutly, looked to win the first balls and pick up second.
“As a team we are very, very pleased.”
Mark admitted the penalty award against his side was frustrating as they were in control.
He said it was a poor decision that changed the game.
“I was frustrated when it went 2-1,” said Mark.
“We were 2-0 up and I thought we were good for it and we got a decision that I was very disappointed with.
“It looked very soft, it was a poor decision and it changed the game.
“It is a London derby, their fans got a lift and there was ten minutes where it wasn’t what we wanted – a good controlled performance.”
Mark admitted he had a tough time picking the team with Judge, Chris Long, Jon Toral and Tommy Smith among those left out.
He withdrew Dallas and Alex Pritchard, who had been away on international duty, and said he would have liked to have made more changes earlier in the match but for Fulham’s goal.
Yesterday’s win was the first of five games in 15 days for The Bees but Mark said those coming up against Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton Wanderers were secondary to beating Fulham.
“I wanted to make changes earlier but the penalty changed it,” said Mark.
“We had to win the game.
“We have talked about games coming up against Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby and I might make changes on Monday but our only objective today was to win the game of football.
“We had some options on the bench and picking the team was difficult.”
Brentford climbed from seventh to fifth with the win as four of the six teams above them dropped points.
They have six games to go – starting against Forest on Monday – and have 69 points.
Middlesbrough lead the way on 75 with AFC Bournemouth on 74 and Watford and Norwich City a point further back.
Mark said the division could be won by a team streaking clear or could go to the wire with teams dropping points, especially as many of the top eight have to play each other.
He said the atmosphere at Craven Cottage had given the Brentford players an inkling of the prize on offer.
“This has been a very good day for us,” said Mark.
“A team could win all seven games and win the league with 93, 94 points or it is nip and tuck where 84, 85, 86 points will do it.
“We have six games to go and 69 points.
“We can only chalk off one game at a time.
“We have a difficult challenge on Monday, we will do everything we can to deliver a good performance.
“Harlee Dean walked in to the changing room and said ‘Imagine playing in front of that every week’.
“That has to be the driving force.
“There are a lot of teams going for the same prize, but they are in with a shout.”
A full post-match interview with Mark Warburton is available here for Bees Player subscribers.