Sunday 15 March 2015 21:14, UK
Brentford boss Mark Warburton remained upbeat despite seeing his promotion chasers fall victim to a Cardiff smash and grab in a 2-1 defeat.
The Bees dominated the game but two goalkeeping blunders gifted the points to the Bluebirds who headed back along the M4 after an incident-packed 2-1 win.
Warburton said: "If we go into the next game having lost and played badly that's one thing, but we lost and completely dominated the game so I'm not as disappointed as I might be."
Federico Macheda and Alex Revell cashed in on mistakes by Bees keeper David Button to put the visitors 2-1 up after being outplayed before the break.
Macheda slid home into an empty net after Button collided with centre-back Harlee Dean, and Revell lobbed the keeper who was caught in no man's land coming for a long through-ball he had no chance of reaching.
It started well for the home side thanks to another keeper error, this time former Bee Simon Moore parred a shot into the path of Andre Gray who bundled home.
But the visitors' third away win in a row was marred by the second-half sendings-off of former Brentford loanee Kadeem Harris and Macheda late on.
Bluebirds boss Russell Slade said: "It was an interesting game. I didn't think it would explode into life like it did in the second half.
"Brentford were better in the first half and deserved their lead but the important thing is that we stayed in the game, got the next goal and then an excellent finish from Revell got us in driving seat."
He had no issues with the Macheda sending off but admitted he would review the Harris red, given for a reckless lunge on Bees midfielder Alan Judge.
Cardiff had to withstand onslaught in the final 15 minutes which both managers admitted was "like the Alamo", but Warburton admitted his side lacked the guile in the dying minutes to break down a stubborn rearguard.
Tommy Smith came closest when his rifled low drive was cleared by a Cardiff arm, seen by everyone except the match officials.
"I'd like to have seen us try to unpick them with a little more though in the final few minutes instead of lifting balls into their box because we know we have the technical ability to do that," said Warburton.
"We knew that Cardiff would come and try to break the tempo, slow things down and delay but we have to deal with that and keep playing our football. We were good for the 1-0 and dominated the game but two lapses have cost us."
Slade conceded: "Brentford are a good side who have won lots of games at home so to see us show so much character, stand up strong to beat a side in the top seven will do the group the world of good."
Brentford forced Moore into a string of saves, but rarely showed the cutting edge and sharpness that has taken them to the fringes of the play-offs.
Warburton said: "This game was different to many others we've had this season so the important thing is that we learn from it. I'm sure we will."
