Brentford Manager Mark Warburton admitted he was disappointed to lose a top-of-the-table clash to Middlesbrough yesterday but said his team played lots of very good football.
The game was settled by a Grant Leadbitter penalty late in the first half.
Harlee Dean failed to head away a long ball over the top, Patrick Bamford nipped in behind and was brought down by David Button.
Referee Simon Hooper awarded a penalty and Leadbitter converted it.
Brentford would have considered themselves unfortunate to be behind at that point.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos made fine saves from Jota and Stuart Dallas, tipping the shot on to the post, while Andre Gray and Jonathan Douglas also went close and Leadbitter cleared a James Tarkowski shot off the line.
Mark said his team were very good in the first half and had chances in a more even second, with Konstantopoulos denying Douglas in the last seconds, but Middlesbrough, who started the day third – two places and one point ahead of The Bees, come out on top in a game of fine margins.
“We are disappointed that we have lost an important game of football against one of our rivals in the top six,” said the Brentford boss, speaking after the defeat.
“But it was a fine margin.
“One poor decision [by one of our players] cost us the game.
“We were very, very good in the first half.
“We looked dangerous with Jota and Stuart Dallas providing good width.
“We moved the ball well and we played good football.
“We hit the post and their goalkeeper made a good save and we didn’t get our just rewards.
“Instead of being one or two up we find ourselves one down at half time.
“The second half was more evenly matched.
“They had chances and we had chances, even one right at the end.
“It was a disappointing afternoon but the margins are fine.”
Mark said he hadn’t seen the goal back but thought it came about because of a mistake.
He praised Dean for the way he continued to play for the rest of the afternoon and said it would make him a better player.
“I haven’t watched it again,” said Mark.
“It was a bad decision; Harlee was unaware of the player behind him and thought the ball would run through to David Button.
“Every other player thought Harlee would head it.
“Harlee made a mistake but he didn’t shy away, he wanted to get on the ball all afternoon.
“We will learn from it.
“Our players learn from mistakes.
“Harlee will be a better player for it but it hurts right now.”
Speaking after the match Middlesbrough Manager Aitor Karanka said his side had not played well but Mark said his side deserved credit for that.
The visitors have the best defence in the Sky Bet Championship and Mark said the way they defended at Griffin Park made it clear why.
He said his side didn’t use the width of the pitch as well after the break but said Konstantopoulos had made some great saves and pointed out that on another day the Dallas shot that the goalkeeper tipped on to the post would have ended up in the net rather than hitting him on the head and shooting off to safety.
“We dropped a bit deeper and didn’t get quite as wide in the second half,” said Mark.
“It is interesting if Aitor Karanka thinks we dominated and his team didn’t play well, I didn’t see it that way.
“If a team doesn’t play well, it means the other team have stopped them.
“We will analyse the game afterwards.
“I don’t think there is much more we could have done.
“Maybe we could have moved the ball quicker along the back but I thought we played well in the first half.
“In the second half we maybe could have kept our width.
“When you are behind you get a bit impatient, wide players come in and you become compact.
“You can see why Middlesbrough don’t concede many goals, they are very strong centrally.
“We have to use the width.
“Maybe we could have been more incisive in the box but I felt it was a good performance.
“Against the best defence in the league we have created chance after chance and we have to take the positives from that.
“The keeper made a world class save from Stuart Dallas.
“There were also things that didn’t go our way.
“There are many positives, but we lost the game 1-0.”
Brentford were beaten 4-0 in the reverse fixture in September but posed a different test to Middlesbrough today.
“Nine of our players today started at The Riverside,” said Mark.
“We looked a very good side today.
“The margins are so fine, we have made one poor decision in 90 minutes and lost 1-0.”
Brentford’s next game is away at Leeds United next Saturday.
Mark said his team would learn from the loss to Middlesbrough and go to Elland Road to deliver another good performance.
“They are footballers and want to win games, they are competitive, we all are,” said Mark.
“They are low at the moment but we will recover tomorrow, look at the game and learn from it.
“Our focus is now to go to Elland Road, another great venue, and deliver a performance.”
Full post-match reaction from Mark Warburton is available here for Bees Player subscribers.