Brentford Manager Uwe Rösler paid tribute to the “professional” way his players sealed their first away victory of the 2012/13 npower League One season.
The Bees beat Portsmouth 1-0 on the south coast with Clayton Donaldson scoring the only goal of the game.
The Bees had been ahead in three of their previous seven away games this season, and held the upper hand in at least two others without winning.
Uwe said the players did not panic when they got in to a winning position and kept Portsmouth out of dangerous areas in the later stages.
“That was a massive improvement,” said Uwe, speaking after the match.
“In the last ten minutes, and the five minutes added time, we never looked like we panicked.
“We tried to press them high up, that was the plan.
“We were magnificent to keep them away from our goal in the dying stages.
“The players dug in big time, not just those who started but those that came on too.
“They all did a fantastic job.
“We looked very professional in the dying minutes.
“We wanted to keep a high line.
“We wanted to pressurise them, force them in to making mistakes in their own half.
“We also learn now that maybe we have to hit the corners, keep them in and maybe we have to take a yellow card for our goalkeeper when it is needed.”
Uwe said he was pleased with the way his team started the game but admitted their level dropped at the end of the first half.
He said he told his players at half time they had the wherewithal to win the match if they kept their standards high.
“In the first 35 minutes our shape was optimal,” said Uwe.
“We picked up so many balls, we played in their half and I don’t think they had a plan for that.
“We got sloppy in the five or ten minutes before half time and I don’t know why.
“We were out of shape and they got the momentum.
“At half time I told the players if we continued as we had done in the first 35 minutes we would win the game and if we were like the last ten of the first half we would lose.
“The players definitely made the right choice.”
The only goal of the game came in the ninth minute – Clayton Donaldson diverted a near post Adam Forshaw free kick in to the far corner.
“We have practiced those sorts of free kicks for 18 months,” said Uwe.
“It is very hard to defend when it is between the posts.
“Things can happen.
“The goalkeeper has to go with the ball and any connection is a goal.
“It was a great delivery.”
The win came on the back of Simon Moore signing a new long-term contract but it was not all good news for The Bees.
Tom Adeyemi limped off in the first half and Kevin O’Connor was taken off on a stretcher in the second.
Those setbacks came within weeks of Farid El Alagui picking up a serious knee injury and days after Leon Legge limped off in an FA Cup with Budweiser win at Boreham Wood.
“We lost Leon Legge last week and now we have lost another two players for the weeks to come,” said Uwe.
“Kevin O’Connor may be longer.
“We are happy with what happened today.
“We got three points and Simon Moore signed a three-year contract but I am emotional because Kevin O’Connor really doesn’t look very good.
“It was not a bad tackle, it was an accident.
“He went over on his ankle.
“We have to see the outcome.
“Leon Legge is out for a while and a player who could have played at centre back is out.
“We know what we have to do in the next few days.
“Tom Adeyemi felt his hamstring.
“We don’t know how bad that is.
“We have lost a few players; we have to do something, no question.”
Uwe praised the contribution of substitute Scott Barron, who replaced Kevin O’Connor, and said he had given him plenty to think about.
He also hailed central defenders Harlee Dean and Tony Craig after the clean sheet.
“Scott Barron showed me a lot,” said Uwe.
“He was magnificent when he came on.
“Scott has not played much this season and I think he wanted to prove a point to me.
“He certainly did that.
“Both Harlee Dean and Tony Craig were magnificent individually and as a pair.
“I think it was their best game as a pair today.
“And that was against a very good striker [Izale McLeod], who had good movement off the ball.”
Uwe Rösler’s full post-match reaction is available here for Bees Player subscribers.