FORTUNES in football can sometimes swing on the smallest incident and Town fans will be hoping that a Brentford goalpost could prove to be the turning point in a so far frustrating campaign.

Woodwork rattling has become something of a speciality this season but Brian Howard found a post brimming with festive goodwill as his second-half strike clattered into Brentford's net via the left upright at Griffin Park.

It set Andy King's men on the way to a crucial three points which leaves them just three points adrift of the play-off race.

Howard was one of the beneficiaries of King's switch to a 4-4-2 system and he seized the opportunity with relish.

He could have had a second and set up opportunities for others as Town ground out the result they desperately needed.

Sam Parkin secured the points as King's men excelled in two areas they have failed in all too often this season defending a lead and keeping a clean sheet.

The change in formation saw Jerel Ifil and Matt Heywood deployed as the central defensive duo, Andy Gurney switched to right-back with Andy Nicholas ousting David Duke on the opposite flank.

Howard operated on the left side of midfield with Sammy Igoe hugging the other flank.

Stefani Miglioranzi and Steve Robinson patrolled the centre of midfield.

Another howling gale greeted the two sides with Town having the 'benefit' of the wind at their backs in the first-half.

King's men started sluggishly and were fortunate not be a goal down within 45 seconds.

They failed to clear a corner properly and Matthew Somner somehow blasted over from 10 yards.

Town's first chance of a largely forgettable first-half fell to Igoe. He cut in from the right on three minutes but his shot from the edge of the area lacked the power to trouble Brentford keeper Paul Smith.

Generally it was the Bees who looked the more comfortable with Town players guilty of too many hurried passes and squandering possession too cheaply.

Mooney saw a first time strike blocked on 19 minutes but the visitors were presented with a golden chance to take the lead just 60 seconds later.

Howard's run was halted 20 yards from goal in an inviting position for a free-kick but skipper Gurney blasted straight into the wall and as the loose ball was lobbed back into the area, Parkin glanced a header wide of the left post.

A clash of heads on 22 minutes resulted in a large lump appearing on the left side of Heywood's head but he battled on, complete with bandage.

The visitors survived a strong shout for a penalty shortly before the half-hour as Robinson got above Steve Hunt to make a clearance the Brentford fans howling that the Town man had clambered all over their man.

Heywood's painful afternoon took a turn for the worse as he was caught on the ankle while making a clearance and his injuries were sufficiently serious to see him replaced by Alan Reeves at half-time.

Rhys Evans came to his side's rescue on 35 minutes as he tipped over a stinging drive from Hunt, following some sloppy midfield play between Howard and Igoe.

Leo Roget slid in to deny Mooney a shooting chance on the edge of the box before a Gurney free-kick from the right dropped for Parkin inside the area.

He couldn't swivel enough to get in a clean strike and his eventual strike was deflected into the path of Igoe, who only succeeded in slashing a shot wide of the right post.

The interval seemed to aid Town rather more than the Bees and it was a much improved visiting team which put on an altogether more composed showing.

An Igoe cross from the right looked destined for Robinson until Roget stretched to flick the ball away.

Mooney glanced wide of the left post before the impressive Nicholas stretched out a leg to halt Kevin O'Connor's run.

Somner was a whisker away from getting the decisive touch on a Michael Dobson cross on 56 minutes before Mooney set up Parkin, only for the striker's goalbound shot to loop off a Brentford boot and drift wide for a corner.

Town should have taken the lead just past the hour when Gurney drove in a cross from the right but Reeves, some six yards out, couldn't get the ball out from under his feet and it was hacked clear. To be fair to the defender, the ball was played in slightly behind him.

Such missed opportunities can prove costly but the goal the visitors deserved came from the boot of their most impressive player.

Howard's width gave Town an altogether more threatening air and it was the England Under 20 international who finally broke the deadlock on 66 minutes.

He burst forward and hammered a 20-yard toe-poke into the net via the post.

Brentford boss Wally Downes responded by introducing Tony Rougier at the expense of Jay Smith and the substitute wasted a glorious chance to level matters.

On 71 minutes Evans flew to his right to make a magnificent stop from Roget's close range header.

From the resulting corner, O'Connor glanced a header goalwards, only for Evans and Nicholas to combine to scramble the ball off the line.

However, the equaliser looked inevitable as the ball dropped to Rougier. It looked a simple task to level matters but he somehow scooped his shot onto the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

Santa had clearly heeded Town's plea for the rub of the green.

Igoe made way for David Duke on 74 minutes and the substitute was immediately involved as he forced Smith into a save after a move involving Howard and Miglioranzi.

With Brentford chasing the game, gaps were always likely to appear at the back for Brentford.

Duke played in Robinson but after the midfielder's shot was blocked, Howard's follow up was also charged down.

The match-clinching second goal arrived eight minutes from time.

The hard-working Mooney slipped a wonderfully weighted ball into Parkin's path down the left channel and Town's leading scorer kept his cool to rifle the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

The goal was greeted by a large roar from the visiting fans at the other end of the field and by the clattering of seats upturning as disgruntled home fans headed for the exits.

King's men should have added further strikes in the closing stages.

A Howard cross/shot from the left found Miglioranzi at the far post but he blazed off target with the goal gaping.

Howard chipped narrowly over the bar on 86 minutes while Smith thwarted Parkin from close range in the 89th minute.

A morale-boosting away day which needs to be followed with another dazzling result against the Diamonds on Boxing Day to really spark fresh hope of success.