Smith backs Bentley after mistake costs Bees at QPR

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Dean Smith has backed Dan Bentley after the goalkeeper’s mistake proved costly for Brentford at QPR.

The visitors were 2-0 up when Bentley failed to deal with a corner and Matt Smith was on hand to pull a goal back.

It hauled Rangers back into the game and Luke Freeman equalised a minute later.

The highly-rated Bentley has been prone to making errors at times this season.

But Bees boss Smith did not blame him for the dropped points at Loftus Road and insisted poor refereeing decisions had ultimately cost his side.

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“He has to keep getting better. It’s only his second season in the Championship and he’s a very good goalkeeper,” said Smith.

“He should have been walking away with a clean sheet, but a referee’s whistle didn’t go and we ended up at 2-2.

“It was down to the officials, in my opinion. People talk about losing (points) from winning positions, but you need the officials to have a good game as well.”

Smith felt Ollie Watkins was fouled in the build up to QPR’s first goal and that a free-kick which led to the equaliser should not have been awarded.

He said: “Ollie’s been clearly fouled, the referee plays on, they get a corner, we don’t defend it well enough, Dan should probably do better and they get a goal.

“Then Romaine (Sawyers) pulls out of a tackle and gets a foul given against him when a foul’s just not been given for Ollie Watkins. They then put the ball in the box and score another. I’m puzzled.”