HUDDERSFIELD manager David Wagner hailed a "good but not perfect performance" but refused to be drawn on talk of gatecrashing the automatic-promotion places after his side's 1-0 win at Brentford.

Rajiv van La Parra's freak goal just before the half-hour mark was all that separated the Bees and an impressive Terriers outfit who closed the gap on the Championship top two to six points with a game in hand.

His cross-shot found the back of the net after a bizarre series of ricochets between Brentford skipper Harlee Dean and goalkeeper Daniel Bentley for a strike which is likely to keep the dubious goals panel busy.

Then when Bees striker Lasse Vibe skied an almost open goal just after the interval, it turned the advantage back towards Wagner's side.

Wagner said: "I'm very happy and very proud. It was a massive three points against a very good Brentford team and following a busy spell of games.

"Brentford had some very good opportunities, as did we, but neither side took them. We had chances to kill the game but we didn't so in the end yes, I am happy."

The German boss insisted the goal was Van La Parra's second of the campaign.

He said: "It's a good strike and the keeper was surprised and the ball was in the net, so I am happy for Rajiv. We sometimes criticise his end product but today he delivered."

Wagner insists he is looking no further ahead than the next game, insisting: "We will only be focused on what we can influence and what we can influence is that we prepare for Bristol City (on Friday night) so we can be as good as we can."

Brentford boss Dean Smith blamed a combination of "fine margins" and "poor officiating" for his side's narrow defeat.

"I think it's fine margins that have won them the game, although I have to say I thought the officiating was poor too," said Smith.

"Lasse could have turned the game because if that goes in just after the break, we have the momentum.

"John Egan has a perfectly good goal disallowed for I'm not sure what and Sergi Canos is brought down on the line of the box. It could have been a penalty but we didn't even get a free-kick for that one."

Smith felt the game failed to live up to its pre-match billing and admitted his young side looked leggy in the first half after a hectic schedule of games.

He said: "Huddersfield are a good side and I thought they were better than us in the first half but we came into it after the break and gave it a real go.

"We have a young squad and they are our players. Huddersfield have some good players but, for me, if you are bringing a loan player in then he has to be exceptional and we would rather develop our own players."