GUILTY BET-RAYA

Bees keeper’s howler wraps up a festive gift for relieved Rowett

atmosphere and a bobbly pitch – and goalkeeper David Raya’s howler gifted Irish midfielder O’brien the only goal of the game in the eighth minute.

At the other end, the muchvaunted Bees frontline could find no way past keeper Bartosz Bialkowski (right).

Rowett said: “I am not looking at or talking about the play-offs, even if the players might.

“We may have a smaller budget but that is what Millwall are all about, punching above our weight financially. The club is about drive and desire and the support of the fans. But we have good players as well.

“If you could take lots of points from the teams both above and below you, then you’d be in the top two. You can’t win every game.

“When we are the underdog, we love turning over bigger teams. With more expectation against teams lower down, we have to find a way.”

Brentford’s Danish boss Thomas Frank said: “It was a 0-0 game, or a draw – a scrappy match from both teams. We gave Millwall their goal, David made a mistake but he has been amazing this season and is potentially the best keeper in the league.

“They went 3-4-3 and so maybe feared us. No excuses and it’s not why we lost, but it was a difficult pitch to play football on.

“Of our key players, none of them had a top game.”

The decisive moment arrived when on-loan Brighton midfielder Jayson Molumby harried Raya – and O’brien steered home the loose ball.

Brentford were rattled and, on the stroke of half-time, Said Benrahma kicked the ball into Shaun Williams’ face, sparking a melee, and was booked.