Brentford lost ground in the race for promotion as Joe Lolley’s strike was enough for Nottingham Forest to leave Griffin Park with all three points.

A tense affair in West London saw Thomas Frank’s men yield advantage to the visitors who frustrated the Bees throughout.

It was a lively opening with both sides knowing a win would take them to within touching distance of the top two.

Despite Brentford dominating possession it was the visitors who looked the most threatening on the counterattack with Lewis Grabban stretching the Bees defence.

The deadlock was broken on 14 minutes through Forest midfielder Lolley.

Picking up a poorly cleared corner, his half volley took a wicked deflection, bouncing over the hapless David Raya in goal.

Going behind sparked urgency into Frank’s men, sadly not composure.

Ollie Watkins guilty of firing wide when Said Benrahma was undoubtedly better placed after a swift counter.

Lamouchi’s men got their tactics spot on first half, using the ‘dark arts’ they slowed the play down at every opportunity, stifling the slick football this part of West London had come accustomed to over the last 18 months.

Those tactics dripped over into the second, coming out of the changing room minutes after the Bees.

Brentford’s frustration grew as their BMW failed to get in gear, Benrahma, Watkins and Bryan Mbeumo all subdued by the relentless Forest press.

It was Forest who should’ve doubled their lead after the break, but Grabban’s tame effort was straight at Raya.

With tension growing in the stands, there was a sharp inhale when Grabban was clumbsily brought down by Ethan Pinnock in the box, only for referee Tim Robinson to wave play on.

The Bees should’ve capitalised on the let-off but tow skewed efforts from Benrahma and Mbeumo typified the home side’s untidy display.

Frank introduced Emiliano Marcondes to the fray with 15 minutes to go with the Bees boss feeling it would need something special to breach Forest’s backline.

He very nearly delivered, but his free-kick was well tipped over by the confident Brice Samba in goal who in reality was never threatened.

The defeat means Brentford slip to fifth, while Forest, who now have five wins in six climb to third, just two points behid behind West Brom in second. 

TEAMS:

BRENTFORD: 4-3-3 Raya, Henry, Pinnock, Jeanvier, Dalsgaard, Norsgaard, Jensen (Marcondes 73’), Dasilva, Mbeumo, Benrahma, Watkins SUBS: Daniels, Yearwood, Valencia, Marcondes, Dervisoglu, Racic, Roerslev

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Samba, Ribeiro, Figueiredo, Worrall, Cash, Watson, Sow, Lolley, Ameobi, Silva, Grabban SUBS: Smith, Diakhaby, Jenkinson, Semedo, Dawson, Yates, Adomah

REFEREE: Tim Robinson