Losing start for Milanic with Leeds United

After four games unbeaten under caretaker Neil Redfearn a goal in each half condemned the Whites to a loss in Milanic’s first game in the SkyBet Championship and he was unhappy with United’s attacking play.

“I saw that we played wide a lot, we didn’t play forward,” said Milanic.

“In this game we didn’t have the mentality to go deep forward.

“This is my first game, I know I have to do a lot of things here.

“There are many, many things to do and we have to stay more compact.”

Milanic made two changes to the team that had beaten Huddersfield the previous week, including Sam Byram for the suspended Gaetano Berardi and the fit-again Alex Mowatt instead of Casper Sloth.

He saw Leeds start well enough with Rudy Austin firing a long range strike that was saved by keeper David Button.

But Brentford came into the game as Alex Pritchard saw an effort saved by Marco Silvestri then the Leeds keeper made a superb double save to deny Alan Judge’s free-kick and Moses Odubajo’s follow-up.

The hosts were then awarded a penalty after United skipper Jason Pearce was adjudged to have fouled, but James Tarkowski hammered his spot-kick over.

United continued to live dangerously and needed another save form Silvestri to keep out a header from former Leeds player Jonathan Douglas.

But just when it looked like the Whites’ had ridden out the storm they conceded a goal in first half injury-time when Jota worked space in the box to fire past Silvestri.

Leeds made a better start to the second half with Pearce and Mircio Antenucci getting in decent efforts on goal and Brentford having more defending to do.

But Silvestri had to come to United’s rescue again with a save with his leg to deny Andre Gray.

Another save from Gray kept the Whites in the game before Brentford did finally double their lead in the 77th minute when full-back Alan McCormack found the net with a powerful shot.

United tried to hit back, but it was all over for them after substitute Sloth’s shot flashed just wide.

Match facts

Brentford 2

(Jota 45+1, McCormack 77

Leeds United 0

Saturday, September 27, 2014

SkyBet Championship

Attendance: 10,886

Brentford: Button, Bidwell, Craig, Douglas, Odubajo, McCormack, Judge, Gray (Diagouraga 81), Pritchard (Tebar 74), Jota (Proschwitz 74), Tarkowski.

Leeds: Silvestri, Byram, Pearce, Bellusci, Warnock, Austin, Cook (Tonge 80), Bianchi (Murphy 85), Mowatt (Sloth 67), Doukara, Antenucci.

Referee: D Whitestone.