Brentford are already demonstrating a canny, streetwise edge in the Premier League

From the first whistle to the last, Saturday's game lasted precisely 99 minutes and 28 seconds but the ball was only in play for 50 minutes and 43 seconds. That was no accident. That was Brentford.

We shouldn't bash them for that. As Premier League newbies, sometimes they will need to eat up the seconds. Especially in the situation they found themselves in at Molineux Stadium.

Leading 2-0 and with Shandon Baptiste shown red in the 64th minute, wasting time was necessary.

Wolves manager Bruno Lage was not happy with Brentford's tactics, however, least of all when goalkeeper David Raya decided to change his gloves not long after the second half had started.

To that, rival boss Thomas Frank responded: 'I would ask him what he would have done if he was leading, as a newly-promoted team — we are just a 'bus stop in Hounslow' — playing against Wolves, an established Premier League side with 10 times the budget, and you are leading 2-0 away with 10 against 11.

'Look at the game. Did we get a deserved win? On expected goals, big chances, everything, 11 against 11, 10 against 11. Don't use excuses. Don't spin it. 'We lost to a better team on the day, blah blah blah'. That's how I'd do it.'

What of Raya changing his gloves? 'He had a big hole in his glove. I will bring it in and take a picture to put on the website so it's not in doubt any more.'

Maybe it was innocent, maybe not, but there is no doubting that Brentford's players are well versed in how to wind down the clock. If there is time that needs wasting, they know how to do it.

Ivan Toney was on fire on Saturday. He won a penalty, then scored it, then assisted his strike partner Bryan Mbeumo for Brentford's second. Toney could have bagged a hat-trick, with two other strikes disallowed by VAR.

Wolves did not manage a single shot on target by comparison. Their best chance fell to Raul Jimenez, who missed the target with a header.

Jimenez, who suffered that skull fracture last November, responded by throwing away his protective head guard in frustration. The club are bound to have a word with the striker, who is supposed to wear it for safety.

It was that kind of exasperating afternoon for Jimenez and Wolves. Brentford loved every minute of it, including the ones they wasted.