Rajiv has a Dutch of good luck for winner
PROMOTION chasers Huddersfield closed the gap on the Championship top two to six points with a gutsy win at Brentford.
Rajiv van La Parra’s freak goal just before the half-hour was the difference between two good footballing sides.
Brentford’s defence fell asleep when a quickly taken free-kick found van La Parra wide on the left.
The Dutch winger’s fierce cross-shot was punched into the net by Bees goalkeeper Daniel Bentley for a winner that may have the dubious goals panel scratching their heads.
It was no more than Town deserved for a spirited, energetic and impressive performance against Dean Smith’s in-form Brentford.
But the hosts’ striker Lasse Vibe will rue a glaring miss just after the break when Florian Jozefzoon burst down the left and squared for the Dane to take aim, before he blazed his effort well over from close range.
Minutes later, still smarting from the miss, his shot from the edge of the box deflected over the keeper and away to safety off the angle of post and bar.
Brentford started brightly and Jota might have given his side an early lead with just three minutes gone but his 20-yard drive was tipped away at full stretch by keeper Danny Ward.
Minutes later Town signalled their intent when Tommy Smith burst down the right and zipped in a low cross to the near post which Jack Payne touched goalwards, only to be thwarted by a reflex Bentley stop.
After the break, Brentford pressed forward looking for the equaliser and centre-back John Egan thought he had found it, only to see his headed effort ruled out for pushing.
Town manager David Wagner said: “I’m very happy and very proud. It was a massive three points against a very good Brentford team and following a busy spell of games.”
Smith said: “We certainly had enough chances to get something out of it.
“But there was a spell in the first half where I thought we got too deep and looked leggy and they controlled it.”