MX23RW : Tuesday, July 21 05:27:30| >> :120:49201:49201:
Jul 11, 2020 at 12.30pm UK at Pride Park Stadium
DerbyDerby County
1-3
BrentfordBrentford
Knight (29')
Knight (62')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Watkins (3'), Benrahma (49', 64')

Phillip Cocu refuses to blame Ben Hamer for loss at Brentford

Phillip Cocu refuses to blame Ben Hamer for loss at Brentford
© Reuters
Said Benrahma scored twice for Brentford as they continued their fine run.

Derby manager Phillip Cocu refused to put all the blame on goalkeeper Ben Hamer after his side lost 3-1 to promotion-chasing Brentford.

Hamer was at fault for Brentford's second goal which put the Bees back in charge after Derby had pulled themselves level.

Brentford had needed only three minutes to take the lead when Ollie Watkins tapped in his 24th goal of the season after a Bryan Mbeumo shot came back off a post.

The home side grew into the game and deservedly equalised in the 29th minute when Wayne Rooney played in Jason Knight who finished low inside the right post.

But a bad mistake by Hamer in the 49th minute gave Brentford the initiative again and this time they did not look back. Said Benrahma's low shot from just inside the area should have been saved but Hamer allowed it to squeeze under him and over the line.

But there was nothing Hamer could do about Benrahma's sublime 64th-minute strike from the edge of the box which curled into the top corner to guarantee Brentford's place in the play-offs.

The third-placed Bees have won all of their games since the restart and are applying real pressure on the top two, while Derby's defeat leaves them three points adrift of sixth spot.

Cocu said: "It's frustrating, events occur during the game but I think we played a decent game against a very strong team.

"Ben took full responsibility for his mistake but I think it's also too easy to only blame the goalkeeper because if a striker, Benrahma, is able to take a shot in the 18-yard box just two-and-a-half minutes after the break it is just poor defending by the whole team."

When asked if he might drop Hamer for Tuesday night's game at Cardiff, Cocu replied: "It's not something I am going to discuss at the moment. I think it was good he has stepped up and taken responsibility in front of the team.

"For the third goal, the shot and strike was top quality which is the kind of players they have in the team."

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank, whose side sat two points behind second-placed West Brom at the final whistle, said: "We knew when we went into this restart we were 10 points off the top two so that was a very difficult task.

"Our aim was to win as many games as possible and first and foremost to secure a play-off place and then see what is happening but now, can we catch them (the top two)? Fantastic but if not, then we want to keep the momentum and good performances and take that into the play-offs.

"Right now, we are in a very good place and we just need to continue. I am spoiled with good players that it is a privilege to coach and be around."

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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeeds UnitedLeeds45279973353890
2West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom452216775433282
3Brentford452491279364381
4Fulham4523111163471680
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest4518161157461170
6Cardiff CityCardiff451816116558770
7Swansea CitySwansea451716125852667
8Preston North EndPreston451811165853565
9Millwall451617125350365
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn451712166460463
11Bristol City451711175964-562
12Derby CountyDerby451613165963-461
13Wigan AthleticWigan451513175655158
14Queens Park RangersQPR45169206574-957
15Reading451511195854456
16Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds451511195764-756
17Stoke CityStoke45158225867-953
18Huddersfield TownHuddersfield451312205166-1551
19Middlesbrough451214194660-1450
20Birmingham CityBirmingham451214195372-1950
21Charlton AthleticCharlton451212215061-1148
22Luton TownLuton45139235180-2948
23Barnsley451113214768-2146
24Hull City45129245784-2745

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