Brentford 1-0 QPR
by Michael McCann
at Griffin Park
 
LEE CARSLEY says he is not the right long-term manager for Brentford, despite a 1-0 derby win over Queens Park Rangers on Friday night making it four straight league victories.
The Bees gained a first win over QPR for 50 years to go one point above the visitors in the congested mid-table of the Championship, leaving Rangers with just two success in their last nine games.
The winning goal came just before the hour, when Marco Djuricin turned in an Alan Judge cross from six yards, after Massimo Luongo hit the woodwork twice in the first half for Rangers.
Brentford were comfortably in the Championship zone when Carsley took over, but despite being ten points clear of it now the 41 year-old maintains that he is only a short-term appointment.
“The main thing for me was trying to get the belief back within the lads,” said Carsley.
“They’re a good team and definitely weren’t doing themselves justice at the start of the season.”
"It's a big job, we are pushing to be in the Premier League and it's not a first-timer's job.”
Carsley has had two brief spells in temporary change at Coventry City in 2012 and 2013, winning four matches from 11, though this is his first extended stint at first-team management.
The former Everton midfielder, who has declared his preference for youth coaching to management, admitted that this being a first Bees win over QPR since 1965 made the success even sweeter.
"I thought it was a great night for us – it is nights like this that as a player you remember when you retire.
“It was a different build-up in terms of expectation, with QPR being a former Premier League team and the fact we hadn't beaten them for so long makes it such a good occasion.
“We rode our luck, especially in the first half when QPR hit the post and bar, but they turned it around in the second half and were excellent.”
The visitors edged a scrappy first-half, the only notable chances coming when Luongo headed against the woodwork twice just before the interval.
The midfielder firstly headed a cross from Matt Philips against the bar in the 40th minute, before almost afterwards striking the post with a precise shot.
In the second-half David Button was forced to save well from a Philips header whilst Djuricin’s powerful shot was beaten away by QPR goalkeeper Robert Green – John Swift could only fire wide with the rebound.
Brentford lead just before the hour as Djuricin, on loan from Salzburg, scored his fourth League goal of the season after good work from Alan Judge.
Charlie Austin came on to try and rouse QPR after spending a month out with a hamstring injury but failed to make a significant impression on the game.
That left Brentford to celebrate a first success over QPR since a 6-1 thrashing in August 1965 whilst the visitors have now won just twice in nine League matches since August.
Rangers are struggling to find anywhere near the levels of consistency to achieve promotion to the Premier League, leaving manager Chris Ramsey seeking more time from senior figures at the club.
The 53 year-old was initially brought in to help consolidate QPR and develop young players, but admits expectations have changed significantly since keeping key players such as Austin and Green.
“We’ve had an adjustment of our expectations. From my point of view, when you’re in the seat you have to abide by what the owners are aspiring to do.
“I feel once we get ourselves more settled we will be able to put a run together and hopefully we will be up there.”
Travelling Rangers fans let their negative feelings be known at full-time but Ramsey defended his players, whilst acknowledging that defeat in the West London derby would hurt more than usual.
“The bragging rights are what people want – we feel sorry for them that they’ve come and given us their support and unfortunately again we haven’t been able to bring home the three points.
“I don’t think the boys played as though they were lacking heart or determination.”
The QPR manager cited the difference between the teams as one not concerning overall performance, but simply taking the multiple goalscoring opportunities his side had.
 “We didn’t take our chances when they came and they took the chance they had when it came.
 “For everyone that means my tactics were wrong and his (Carsley’s) were right – that’s what people look at despite the fact that we’ve hit the post twice.”