Togetherness the key for Bees after triumph over Cherries, says Frank

Brentford closed out the year with victory over promotion rivals Bournemouth – and Thomas Frank believes a real sense of togetherness is crucial to the Bees’ upsurge.

The west Londoners have now gone 15 Championship games unbeaten, following the 2-1 triumph at the Brentford Community Stadium. Substitute Tariqe Fosu headed the winner in 79 minutes after Henrik Dalsgaard cancelled out the opening goal by Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke in the first half.

It was a highly entertaining affair and a fine advert for Championship football. Bournemouth, it must be said, can consider themselves very unlucky not to have taken something for their efforts, but the Bees’ recovery and spirit was still highly admirable.

While it is still only December, Brentford, play-off finalists last season, now move up to second in the table, behind Norwich City. Indeed, further victories such as this one over a side who were in the Premier League last term – and whose quality showed on the night – can only be of further encouragement for Frank.

"We might have gone 15 games unbeaten, but we are humble and we rely on togetherness because no team in the world will achieve anything if they are not together,” said the Brentford head coach.

“This group of players have been together for one-and-a-half years now. They had a fantastic season last time and were unlucky, but they are more experienced now individually and as a group and it shows in their performances.

"Bournemouth were quick, moved the ball well and pressed us and we couldn't get in the game, but we showed solidity and stability and grew into it.

“We knew it would be a good and tight game between two good sides. I said at half-time that we needed to show more character and attitude if we wanted to win a game like this. After half-time we showed that - they even changed their system, so it was a good way to end the year."

Fosu came off the bench for Sergi Canos in the second half – and the versatile attacker supplied his first goal of the season in timely fashion.

“I’m very pleased for Tariqe to score the goal and he deserves a lot of praise,” added Frank. “He’s always ready and available. It shows we have goals in the team, it’s not only Ivan (Toney) who we rely on.”

With mid-table Bristol City next up at the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday, there is now every chance the Bees can continue their marvellous run of form, before a hotly-anticipated all-London Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur three days later.