Dean Smith laments fine margins after Brentford lose to Huddersfield

Brentford boss Dean Smith blamed a combination of "fine margins" and "poor officiating" for his side's 1-0 home defeat to Huddersfield.

Rajiv van La Parra's freak goal just before the half hour was all that separated the Bees and an impressive Huddersfield outfit who closed the gap on the Sky Bet Championship top two to six points.

His cross-shot found the back of the net after a bizarre series of ricochets between Brentford skipper Harlee Dean and goalkeeper Daniel Bentley for a strike which is likely to keep the dubious goals panel busy.

And when Bees striker Lasse Vibe skied an almost open goal just after the break, it turned the advantage back towards David Wagner's side.

"I think it's fine margins that have won them the game, but I have to say I thought the officiating was poor today too," said Smith.

"Lasse could have turned the game because if that goes in just after the break we have the momentum, John Egan has a perfectly good goal disallowed for I'm not sure what and Sergi Canos is brought down on the line of the box. It could have been a penalty but we didn't even get a free-kick for that one."

Smith felt the game failed to live up to its pre-match billing and admitted his young side looked leggy in the first half after a hectic schedule of games.

He said: "Huddersfield are a good side and I thought they were better than us in the first half but we came into it after the break and gave it a real go.

"We have a young squad and they are our players. Huddersfield have some good players but, for me, if you are bringing a loan player in then he has to be exceptional and we would rather develop our own players."

Huddersfield boss Wagner hailed a "good but not perfect performance" but refused to be drawn on talk of gatecrashing the automatic-promotion places.

"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," he said.

"Brentford had some very good opportunities as did we but neither side took them. We had chances to kill the game but we didn't so in the end yes, I am happy."

The German insisted the goal, which found the net after touching two Bees players, was Van La Parra's second of the campaign.

He said: "It's a good strike and the keeper was surprised and the ball was in the net so I am happy for Rajiv. We sometimes criticise his end product but today he delivered."

Wagner insists he is looking no further ahead than the next game, insisting: "We will only be focused on what we can influence and what we can influence is that we prepare for Bristol City so we can be as good as we can."