THOMAS Frank praised Colchester United's performance after they pushed his Brentford side all the way in the Carabao Cup.

Keane Lewis-Potter's strike just before half-time secured the Premier League side a 1-0 victory in the second-round tie, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Brentford owed a debt of gratitude to their goalkeeper, Hakon Valdimarsson, after he made a late penalty save to deny Jack Payne from the spot.

It enabled the Bees to book their place in the third round, where they will host League One side Leyton Orient aiming for further progress in the competition.

READ MORE: Danny Cowley gives his verdict on Colchester defeat to Bees

Bees boss Frank told the Brentford website: "These games are never easy.

"Big respect and praise to Colchester; I think they did everything they could to make it very difficult for us and they worked incredibly hard.

"They started the game well in the first ten to 15 minutes and we need to do better there but fair play to Colchester.

"After that, I thought 'now we've got control, now we got on top of the game' and I think it was fair to go 1-0 up after dominating more and more, in many aspects so that was good.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

"In the second half, I'd have liked us to have had a little more threat, a little more chances where we just killed it at 2-0.

"When they got a penalty, I think it's probably on the softer side but hey, it was given but it was a fantastic save.

"Hakon (Valdimarsson) had a fantastic learning curve and when it goes like today, it's a very good story.

"He learned from the first two or three throws and the first one was definitely a scare, where they jumped into him and then he adjusted and got better.

"In the second half, I thought he dominated his area on long throws and free-kicks and corners and then of course, topping it off with a top save from the penalty."