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Brentford overcame a hard working and pest-like Crawley side last night as their march towards automatic promotion continued under the Griffin Park floodlights

Crawley had lost five on the bounce going in to the match, but after a heart-to-heart following their last defeat, they certainly approached the game with an impressive vigour, albeit one devoid of attacking guile.

The Bees, with George Saville restored to the starting line-up, poked and prodded at their opponents in a first half game of cat and mouse. Half chances came and went, Donaldson firing two narrowly wide from tight angles, whilst Paul Jones saved an Alan Judge header.

The decisive goal came around the hour mark when Judge’s left wing cross was met by the Christ-like head of Jonathan Douglas before passing through the flappy hands of Jones. Divine Intervention? Possibly.

Stuart Dallas had two good, late chances to double the score, but Crawley held firm.

The visitors only poignant attack of the night came from journeyman defender Paul Connolly who appeared to strike a Brentford supporter in the Braemar Road in the final minutes of the game. The incident was missed by the ref but captured on camera so a ban surely calls for the Crawley man and perhaps a fan.

There was a decent Tuesday night crowd of 7,718 at Griffin Park, bolstered by the club’s BOGOF initiative – let’s hope that many of the casual supporters present keep coming back.

Brentford were patient and controlling last night and always looked in command of proceedings. Whilst support from the stands was boisterous at times from all areas of the ground, there was a nervy edge too, with groans greeting misplaced passes as the team searched for an opening. Fortunately this didn’t appear to affect the players who dilligently kept to the task in hand.

Rotherham’s defeat to a weakened Sheffield United side leave Brentford requiring a maxium of seven points from their last five games, with many leaving the ground last night feeling that we had reached a tipping point in our quest for Championship football.

Wolves remain just three points above us too, so the title is still there to be won or lost.

Bees – Button; Mac, Tarkowski, Craig, Bidwell; Forshaw (Diagouraga 89), JD, Saville (Reeves 68); Dallas, Donaldson, Judge (Trotta 73)

Condorman