Toumani Diagouraga said Brentford’s Sky Bet Championship victory away to Cardiff City was a “great result”.
The Bees took the points thanks to a 3-2 win after an archetypal game of two halves.
Brentford dominated in the first half and scored three times – Alex Pritchard, Andre Gray and Jota finding the net.
But Cardiff hit back after the break and scored twice to set up a thrilling last 15 minutes.
Brentford did enough and Toumani, speaking to Bees Player after the win, said The Bees dealt with the physical challenge.
“It is a great result,” said the midfield player.
“Every time you go away from home in the Championship and get three points it has to go down as a good result.
“I don’t think you can call it anything other than a game of two halves.
“In the first half we played some very good football; we could have been four or five up.
“In the second half they went very long and made it a physical battle.
“But we stood up for ourselves and got the three points.”
Toumani explained the difference after half time.
“They were longer, more direct and wanted to make it in to a fight rather than playing football,” said the midfield player.
“It’s not the sort of thing you expect in the Championship but it shows how well we are doing.
“Teams are worried about us and are trying to bully us rather than outplay us.”
Toumani said Brentford’s first half display was “very good” with the attacking midfield trio, Pritchard, Jota and Alan Judge a joy to watch.
Pritchard scored the first from distance, slipped Gray through for the second and then ran 50 yards before passing to Jota to fire in to the top corner from 20 yards.
“The first half was very good,” said Toumani.
“We were playing quick, first-time, one-touch football and we opened them up five, six, seven times
“We play the same way every week.
“We knew we were going to get space and it was a matter of exploiting it.
“It was very enjoyable to watch Alex, Alan and Jota in the first half.
“It made my job easier; we kept going forward instead of defending.
“We have good quality and the boys can score from everywhere.”
Brentford lost Jonathan Douglas to a calf injury at half time and Jon Toral came on.
Toumani said his role changed but Brentford had won without Douglas at Millwall last month and there was enough strength in the squad to cope.
“I had to be a bit deeper without Dougie,” he said.
“But we have done it before, at Millwall, and did it again today.
“Dougie is a key part of this team but we have a very good squad.
“If someone goes out, we have quality to come in the side and help us win.”
Craig Noone headed Cardiff back in to the game five minutes in to the second half and lifted the home crowd, who were even more vociferous when Kenwyne Jones scored with 15 minutes to go.
Toumani said Brentford needed to keep the ball to quieten the crowd and probably didn’t do it well enough in the second half.
“The goal after half time hurt, especially away from home in front of a big crowd,” he said.
“It got them going and put us on the back foot.
“We expected them to have a spell; we can’t dominate for 90 minutes.
“It is just part of the game.
“When the crowd gets going you have to keep the ball.
“The more you have the ball the less they can do with it.
“We will learn from the fact we didn’t keep the ball well enough in the second half.
“We learn from every game, win, lose or draw.”
Brentford are third in the Championship as the halfway point approaches.
“Being where we are doesn’t surprise us,” said Toumani.
“We go in to every game believing we can win.
“We are winning and we want to carry on.”
Toumani was playing his eighth game in a row and Brentford have won seven of them.
The midfield player, now approaching 200 Brentford appearances, said he did not think he had ever played better.
“I don’t know what I am doing to get this consistency but whatever it is I don’t want to change it,” said Toumani.
“I want to keep playing in this team and getting good results.
“This is probably the best I have ever played.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Toumani Diagouraga here.