Frank talk is still optimistic

THOMAS FRANK insists Brentford remain in the Championship’s automatic promotion race despite allowing a nine- point chasm to open, with eight games left to play.

Comical defending gifted relegation-threatened Huddersfield an early lead through Lewis O’Brien and although left-back Mads Bech Sorensen equalised just after the interval, the visitors failed to claw further ground back on secondplaced Watford with their inability to add a second.

Ivan Toney, the division’s leading scorer, struck the base of a post a minute after Sorensen toed in V italy Jan el t’ s cut-back but Brentford have taken just 12 points from a possible 30 since winning at Reading to sit top of the table on February 10. Nevertheless, Frank — whose team missed out on a toptwo finish last year after losing their final two fixtures, and then lost to Fulham in the Wembley playoff final—said :‘ This is the Championship and strange things can happen.

‘Especially in the Championship because the difference between teams is not that big. It’s something different in the Premier League where especially Manchester City this year are so superior that they don’t lose odd points.

‘ Watford have been extremely good to win a lot of games, but I don’t think that can continue. If they do, applause from us and we’ll say, “well done.”’

Huddersfield were gifted the lead when Brentford goalkeeper David Raya and defender Mads Roerslev got in an almighty muddle dealing with an innocuous ball forward by Naby Sarr and Alex Vallejo teed up O’Brien to steer home.

‘We’re not safe and must fight until the end,’ said Huddersfield head coach, the Spaniard Carlos Corberan, after his team moved up a place into 18th.

‘There are 24 points left and I think we need 12 because it’s a real battle in that part of the table.’