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Sky Bet Championship: Mark Warburton hails Brentford after beating Blackpool

Mark Warburton: Brenford manager has signed a rolling contract with the Championship club
Image: Mark Warburton: Delighted with comeback win

Brentford boss Mark Warburton hailed his side's fighting qualities after they battled from a goal down to earn their first Sky Bet Championship win of the season.

Nathan Delfouneso had put crisis club Blackpool ahead after 17 minutes with just the Tangerines' second goal of the campaign.

But Alex Pritchard levelled things up after 37 minutes and Stuart Dallas scored seven minutes into the second half to give the Bees their first victory in the second tier of English football for 21 years.

"We had a good performance at Bournemouth at the weekend (1-0 loss) and we deserved at least a point," Warburton said. "So it's good for the players to play a good game and get three points against Blackpool.

"We were one down but we kept moving the ball quickly, then we pushed hard.

"We didn't know what to expect from Blackpool. Our analysis department work very hard on preparing the players and letting them know what to expect.

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Blackpool 1 Brentford 2 - Highlights

"We didn't know if it was going to be 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1. We thought Nile Ranger would come on, which proved to be the case. It was the randomness of what Blackpool would throw at us.

"We looked at the first couple of weeks and we thought we were maybe lacking a little bit of self-belief. Can we make an impact at this level? We're not here to make up the numbers.

"The performance on Saturday was excellent and that gave them a belief. It's important to get three points.

"The squad is really strong now. We have good attacking options, which is really important.

"The danger is our squad of players looking at the teams we're facing and recognising that we are playing the players and not the badge.

"The players need to realise that they are here for a reason. They are not here to make up the numbers and if we apply ourselves we will be okay."

Blackpool deservedly took the lead in the 17th minute as Delfouneso headed home from 12 yards from Francois Zoko's left-wing cross.

However, Brentford levelled in the 37th minute through Pritchard, who latched onto Moses Odubajo's lay-off and rifled the ball low to the right of Joe Lewis from 25 yards.

And the visitors took the lead in the 52nd minute as Dallas pinched the ball off Donervorn Daniels on the byline and cut inside from the left to fire past Lewis from a narrow angle.

Jose Riga, Blackpool manager
Image: Riga: Another loss for Seasiders

Blackpool manager Jose Riga refused to be downcast despite seeing his side slip to a third consecutive Championship loss of the season.

Riga said: "I am frustrated because we were leading. We were good in the game.

"We score a beautiful goal and we concede in the same situation as the previous game.

"At this moment, any opportunity of the opponent is a goal. It was a mistake by a young player who did very well until this moment.

"It is the second game in three days for players with not enough physical aptitude and we conceded a very stupid goal. But when we were good in the game and then we concede a goal, it is difficult.

"The fact is that we don't have two players in the same level. It's a complete new team. If we were able from day one to work together we could get the results, but it is not the situation. Every time we are close.

"It is not that I am positive but I think I am strong. My reality of coach is not this one of today. My previous experience is not of this situation - not of the context and certainly not of the result.

"But I know that it is part of my job and I feel responsible for the players and the staff and that's why I try and stay positive, even in this situation, to stay in the right mindset."

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