Thomas Frank has vowed Brentford will bounce back and ‘come out flying’ in Wednesday’s West London derby after their 21-game unbeaten run came to an end.

The Bees were buzzing in the Championship’s automatic promotion places but blew their chance to leapfrog Norwich as they went down 2-0 at home to Barnsley.

Conor Chaplin and Carlton Morris’ goals dealt a blow to Brentford’s top-flight hopes but Frank, whose players make the short trip to QPR in midweek, insists they’ll come out all guns blazing.

The Dane, 47, said: “I have just said to the players that we lost to a better team today and it is all about how we react to that. We need to bounce back against QPR.

“I am in no doubt that they will come flying out on Wednesday night.

“Barnsley deserve a lot of praise. We have been so consistent for 21 games, but at the end of the day we lost it fair and square.

“There was no lack of effort from the players, they put everything out there and there was a big determination from all of them.

“We are in such a good place, but we lost to a team who made it difficult when they hit their high level. I am frustrated we lost but not frustrated overall.

“Whenever we play QPR it is a big game – whether it is a relegation battle, a middle of the table game or when one team is high in the table.

“It means the world to both clubs’ fans and what an opportunity for us to bounce back against them.

“The players know every single time they go out they are playing for the fans and for the club but also for the team, who want to do well and try to achieve the best they can.”

The Bees had a game in hand on Daniel Farke’s table-toppers but were unable to capitalise at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Chaplin gave Valerien Ismael’s visitors a shock first-half lead before Morris, who joined the Tykes from Norwich last month, doubled their advantage just after the break.

Brentford rallied throughout the latter stages but struggled to create clear cut chances as they suffered their first defeat in the league since October 24.

The Bees now sit one point behind the Canaries in second while Swansea, whose clash at Sheffield Wednesday was postponed this weekend, lie four points adrift of Brentford with two games in hand.

Frank knows the Championship is fiercely competitive and accepts his team’s losing run had to come to an end.

The former Brondby boss, whose side had battled back from a goal behind in their previous three victories, added: “For me it was inevitable it would happen at some stage – we knew that. We just hoped that today wouldn’t be the day.

“We had hoped to go one more game, one more game, one more game. But we know in this league you can lose to every team in this division, even if you are at the highest level.

“I knew that because three times we had come back from a goal down that we would be able to do it for a fourth time.

“I believed in that, but at 2-0 I thought it was going to be very difficult.”