Brentford 1-1 Gills: Neale Cooper

Last updated : 16 September 2005 By Simon Head

Cooper: Happy with the improvement, but disappointed with our defending for Brentford's equaliser

"A superb performance by the players today, especially after Saturday when too many players under performed.

"To come back and show that kind of character, when they were under the cosh a lot from Brentford is excellent.

"They are hard to play against, they play the ball long and you're always under pressure from aerial threats - we're not the biggest of sides but we competed today.

"That's the character I want to see in the team because the fans deserve it. What a support we had today, I think nearly a 1,000 fans turned out, which is excellent and so much appreciated.

"We had a disappointing weekend and let everybody down. I knew we had a decent support coming down today and I knew we had to do it for them and I told the players that.

"We defended well and created some really good chances. Darren Byfield could have scored four today with the chances he's had. Matt Jarvis also had one or two chances.

"I thought Neil Harris and Darren Byfield were excellent up front.

"We were very unlucky not to get the penalty. That could have changed the game. But these things happen and the referee's have to make a decision. Sometimes they go for you and sometimes they don't.

"I was disappointed with the goal we conceded, it was too easy for them to get the ball across - someone has got to get a challenge in. The ball came over and it was an easy header and it gave them a lift.

"They came at us at the end but saying that we still had chances to kill them off.

"Overall I think it was two different teams playing different styles. Brentford play a lot of long ball and long throws into the box and we knew they would be physical. But we handled them and the way they came at us."