Clark backs Bees despite hammering

Delighted Huddersfield boss Lee Clark watched his side storm to an emphatic 4-0 win at Brentford - and then tipped the Bees to be in the promotion shake-up.

The Terriers, who have now gone 36 games unbeaten, were always in charge at Griffin Park after former Bees striker Jordan Rhodes headed home midway through the first half. Rhodes went on to add a second after the break along with goals from Lee Novak and Gary Roberts as Huddersfield tore into Uwe Rosler's hapless side.

But Clark insisted: "This is a difficult place to come, and for the first 20 minutes it was a very tight game. After that I thought we took control and Brentford were unfortunate to come up against us in that kind of form."

He added: "When we went 2-0 up I was still shouting at them to think about the clean sheet and I thought the back four did superbly well. We were always in control but I'm not about to disrespect the opposition because Brentford are a decent side and will be there or thereabouts in May."

There was little sign of a Brentford fightback, though, as the hosts managed just one effort on goal in a one-sided 90 minutes. Brentford boss Rosler called his players in for extra training after being disappointed with their response after the second goal.

"I thought we matched them early on, but it was very important that we got the first goal. That didn't happen but we kept on competing and then once they got the second I thought the reaction was not acceptable," he said.

"There are thin lines in football, and maybe the scoreline gives the impression that we were never in the game, but that certainly wasn't how I saw it.

After the break there was too large a gap between our midfield and forwards, and that always made it easy for them to pick up the second ball and attack us again."

He added: "Huddersfield are robust and experienced, and we needed to be the same. I thought we were in the beginning, but we lost it in free-kicks and corners.

We will have to learn from that. I have learned in this league and I know now the types of players that we need. People who are strong physically and mentally."

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