Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he was delighted with his side’s London derby win at Millwall yesterday but admitted there were still lessons to be learned.
The Bees won a memorable derby 3-2 on a wet afternoon in South London.
They were 2-0 up just after half time as Andre Gray took his tally to four in a week with a brace either side of the break.
But Millwall hit back to level it at 2-2 with two goals in around 90 seconds.
The Bees, however, fought back and scored a winner – which Harlee Dean is claiming but has been credited as a Danny Shittu own goal – seven minutes after Millwall’s equaliser.
Mark, speaking after the match, said he had warned his side to be ready for a fight back as Millwall had done similar against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers and had to learn from that spell.
He said his team dominated the first half and hailed the character of his side to respond to Millwall’s goals when The Den was rocking.
The win was Brentford’s third in a week after victories over Derby County and Nottingham Forest and leaves them sixth in the Sky Bet Championship table as the teams take a break for international football.
“I thought we controlled the first half and should have gone in more than one up,” said Mark.
“The warning at half time was to be prepared for the fight back.
“We knew they had come back from 3-0 down against Wolves to draw 3-3 and from 2-0 down against Blackburn to draw 2-2.
“It came as no surprise but we have to learn from it.
“We are delighted, of course we are, but we have to learn from that five minutes period.
“To show the character they did and play in the manner they did in this atmosphere spoke volumes about the team in general.
“At half time there was one team in it.
“Toumani Diagouraga was outstanding in midfield.
“All round the park was the same.
“I am very pleased.
“If we can learn from that five minute spell we can keep on improving.
“I am delighted to get nine points out of nine this week and we are in the top six.”
Mark said Brentford dropped too deep and were loose in possession after going 2-0 up.
The home side pulled one back when a header from Shittu looped towards the net, David Button rose with Lee Gregory and referee James Adcock decided the Millwall striker had not fouled the Brentford goalkeeper as the ball bounced in to the net.
Alan Dunne struck from 18 yards seconds later to make it 2-2.
“It was a tough period for us,” said Mark.
“We thought David Button was fouled, he thought he was fouled but it was one of those things.
“We have to learn from it and we will.
“We dropped a bit too deep and were loose in posession.
“But we will learn.”
Brentford were without Jonathan Douglas, who was suspended for picking up five yellow cards.
Mark hailed the performance of Diagouraga, who had played alongside Douglas in the past two wins but played in a different role at The Den.
“We needed to look at what Dougie offers and look at how we fill those holes and maintain our performance,” said the Brentford boss.
“Toumani had a slightly deeper role but in the first half especially, he was outstanding.
“He bossed the game, got it from the centre halves and linked the midfield.
“It was a tremendous performance from Toumani.
“We are over that hurdle now.”
Gray took his tally to four in a week with the brace at The Den.
It came after he had gone eight games without a goal.
He scored four minutes in to the second half of the win against Derby and hit another against Forest.
Mark said there is more to come from the striker.
“He is raw and hungry,” said Mark.
“There is loads more to come from Andre Gray.
“He was down and we spoke about it on Bees Player, he needed a goal for his confidence.
“After his goal against Derby he was a revelation.
“At Nottingham Forest he was truly outstanding.
“In this atmosphere and up against Danny Shittu, who is a man-mountain, he worked the line, ran the channels and was a physical presence.
“He is getting better every game.”
Sam Saunders made his first Championship appearance for Brentford a The Den, just under 10 months since his last game.
The attacking midfield player has been out with a knee problem but Mark said the substitution was not a gesture.
He praised Sam, and Tommy Smith, for the way they kept Brentford moving forward in the later stages.
“It was not a token gesture to bring Sam on,” said Mark.
“We wanted Sam and Tommy to come on and keep the ball in a frenetic period of the game.
“They were knocking long balls, we had to win the first ball and deal with the second.
“We wanted to keep the ball, maintain our quality and keep an offensive stance.
“Sam did that well.
“He is a vital part of the squad.”
Mark admitted he would have settled for seven points from the last three games before they started but said his side feared no team in the Championship.
“We needed a minimum of two wins to meet our target,” he explained.
“I would have been content with seven points.
“This team has so much quality, they don’t fear anyone.
“We have to impose our style of play.”
Brentford now have almost two weeks without a game before they face Fulham at Griffin Park.
There are no Championship fixtures next weekend because of international football and Mark said his players will again have four days off, as they have done when previous breaks have come this season.
“It is a good thing for us,” said Mark.
“We have worked very hard.
“The players are ready for a break.
“We will have a second day of recovery on Monday and then train very hard on Tuesday.
“They will have earned their four days off.
“We sit sixth and that is a good performance from us but there is more to come.”
Full post-match reaction from Mark Warburton is available here for Bees Player subscribers.