Dean Smith saw Brentford win over Wigan coming after flying start

Brentford head coach Dean Smith was delighted with the way his side “were on it from the start” in their 2-0 win over Wigan that moved them into the Championship’s top two.

A Neal Maupay brace – his sixth and seventh goals of the season – clinched Brentford the points after Wigan were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark when Sam Morsy saw red for an elbow on Yoann Barbet.

“The hardest part is trying to stay there because you become a target but we will do what we always do and just take each game as it comes,” said Smith.

“I don’t think it was the header that got him sent off. It was the follow through with his forearm which was bad. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my players so angry.

“It was a very satisfying win because Wigan are a good footballing side and I knew they would be a test for us, but from the first few minutes we were very aggressive in the way we went about them and I knew we were on it from the start.

“We knew they wouldn’t sit back and for us to create chances we needed to be quick on the ball. And we were.”

Smith admitted starting Maupay after a three-game ban for a stamp on Aston Villa’s John McGinn was a difficult decision after the way his side played in the last home win against Nottingham Forest.

“It was a tough one but he’s in a rich vein of form and has come in with two poacher’s goals and could have had a couple more,” he said.

Smith praised the midfield duo of Josh McEachran and Lewis Macleod, adding: “I’m sure it won’t be long before Scotland come knocking on Lewis’ door.

“He’s playing very well after a bad injury and is very competitive in there for us which you’d expect from a Glasgow lad.“

Wigan boss Paul Cook said the only positive he could take from his side’s 2-0 defeat at Championship high-flyers Brentford was that “we don’t have to come back to Griffin Park again this season”.

Latics were outplayed for long spells by the Bees and Cook admitted: “I’ve got no complaints about the result at all. Brentford were excellent today, created chances and carved us open.

“They are the best team we have met this season by far. If there are positives I’d say they are that our keeper was excellent and we don’t have to come here again this season. Having said that, we’ll probably get them in the cup.”

Cook was unsure about the sending-off of Morsy and will consider an appeal depending on the video evidence

“I felt he put his head in to head the ball and there was a clash of heads,” said Cook. “I also thought the ref has made a very quick decision.

“If I am wrong I will apologise but if it’s the way I am saying, we will appeal it.

“All in all it was a disappointing day but we know this is a very tough league and we have to move on. You don’t get time to think about setbacks.”