Brentford head coach Keith Andrews would have preferred a more straightforward result than the late 4-3 win at Burnley to celebrate signing a new contract at the club this week.
But the hard-fought victory at Turf Moor had all the hallmarks of a side growing in confidence and belief under his watch.
The Irishman, promoted from set‑piece coach and doubted by many when he succeeded Thomas Frank at the start of the season, has steadily shaped this side in his image.
The Bees made a buzzing start against a Burnley side who had troubled Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in recent weeks.
They were ahead inside nine minutes as Mikkel Damsgaard arrived unmarked to head in a corner from Dango Ouattara before the Dane turned provider for Brentford’s second in the 25th minute as Igor Thiago latched on to his through pass to score his 18th league goal of the season.
It was soon 3-0 as Sepp van den Berg’s header from another corner was cleared off the line by Lucas Pires only as far as Kevin Schade to score his seventh goal of the season.
Though they let the advantage slip to allow Brentford back in at 3-3, they showed fighting spirit in front of the vocal Burnley fans to have the final say through Damsgaard’s second – a perfect response after their 2-0 home defeat by Brighton last weekend.
Andrews’ side have now won five of their past six away fixtures in the league, and this victory keeps them firmly in the hunt for a top-seven finish and qualification for Europe for the first time – with fifth-placed Liverpool still only five points ahead.