Brentford 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Table-topping Owls lose at bottom-club Brentford

The visitors sat at the top of the table ahead of the trip to west London against the rock-bottom Bees, but Charlie MacDonald's first-half strike proved the difference as Wednesday slumped to their first defeat of the season.

But Irvine insists his side didn't expect Brentford to roll over and surrender the points.

He said: "I spoke to the players before the game and reminded them about the other results on Saturday. Other teams probably thought they could've gone top of the league and didn't, so I was very conscious of how difficult this was going to be.

"If some players were complacent then I'd be even more disappointed about that.

"Brentford were in a false position, and their performances should've brought more points than they had. I was very wary about this game."

The hosts had the first sight of goal, with Darren Potter's goal-line clearance keeping out Kevin O'Connor's point-blank header, while Neil Mellor fluffed his lines at the other end for Wednesday.

Robbie Simpson twice went close for the Bees as they dominated the first-half, and they finally made the breakthrough just before half-time.

Karleigh Osborne's crossfield ball found MacDonald, who headed the ball into Myles Weston's path.

He found Craig Woodman, whose teasing ball was controlled by MacDonald, before spinning Purse and firing well into the bottom left-hand corner.

Brentford should have doubled their lead 10 minutes after the break when Nicky Weaver parried the ball into Weston's path, but his weak shot was cleared by Mark Beevers.

Wednesday started the second-half on the front foot, with Marcus Tudgay stinging the hands of Brentford goalkeeper Ben Hamer.

But that is as close as the visitors came, and the crossbar came to their rescue 20 minutes from time, when Simpson's

25-yard volley cannoned off the woodwork.

They had Weaver to thank for keeping them in the game when he somehow managed to keep out Nicky Adams's thunderbolt as the Bees pushed for a killer second. And despite four minutes added time, Wednesday couldn't find a way back.

The League One leaders have the chance to get back to winning ways against Carlisle at Hillsborough on Saturday.

And Irvine insists his side must respond if they are to bounce back to the Championship at the first attempt.

He added: "This can't effect the camp – we have to bounce back. We are going to lose games during this season, and if one game you lose has a negative effect on the next game then you are going to have a bad season.

"It's important we respond in the right way. It's going to be important this season that we win home games but you need to add points on your travels as well if you're hoping to achieve what we are all hoping to."

Brentford: Hamer; Spillane, Osborne, Balkestein, Woodman; Simpson, O'Connor, Diagouraga, Weston Wood (90); MacDonald (Adams 64), Alexander (Hunt 81). Unused substitutes: Lee, Legge, Bean, Forster.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver; Buxton, Purse, Beevers, Spurr; Sedgwick (O'Connor 54), Coke, Potter, Teale (Heffernan 75); Mellor (Morrison 64) , Tudgay. Unused substitutes: Jones, Miller, Jameson, Otsemobor.

Referee: G Hegley (Herts).

Man of the match: Robbie Simpson.