It was like a red rag to a bull. Micky Adams could not believe what he was hearing on his way back from a scouting mission at Bournemouth.

Fans were berating Bob Booker on Ian Hart's post-match phone-in on Southern Counties Radio.

Adams, not the type to suffer in silence, rang up to vigorously defend the man he brought to Albion as his assistant three years ago.

Good for him. Booker did not deserve such a public slating.

Of course, the supporters were upset by the Seagulls' sorry display at Griffin Park, but you can bet nobody felt more hurt by it than Booker. It was a horror return to his old club.

His detractors have short memories. Booker showed loyalty to Albion by turning down the chance to join Adams as his No. 2 at Leicester.

The crushing defeat in West London has almost certainly put paid to his hopes of becoming Albion's No. 1.

It could even hasten an appointment by chairman Dick Knight, but whatever happens Booker still has an important role to play.

He has proved himself a successful assistant under Adams, Peter Taylor and Steve Coppell.

The backroom staff will again be kept in tact by Knight, irrespective of who succeeds Coppell.

The knee-jerk reaction of callers last night will only drive Booker away. That would be a shame and cause even more disruption.

Albion are still top of the table and they have just lost two games. Hardly a crisis is it?

Of course this meek surrender was alarming, but you do not become a bad team in the space of four days.

Booker had a couple of wins under his belt and everything seemed hunky dory until the 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth last Saturday.

The most puzzling aspect of this pasting was the collapse of a defence which had previously let in only three goals in nine games.

They were all over the place at times as the buzzing Bees, and Stephen Hunt in particular, ripped them to pieces.

Albion were so panic-stricken that they contrived to concede three penalties, two of which Hunt scored.

Michel Kuipers denied him a remarkable hat-trick by saving the other one, but Hunt showed why Coppell was so keen to sign him in the summer.

The deal was wrecked because Brentford refused to give Hunt a free transfer and Albion could not afford to risk being ordered to pay a prohibitive transfer fee by a tribunal.

It took the former Republic of Ireland under-21 international only seven minutes to make an impact.

Gary Hart felled him with a striker's challenge and Hunt picked himself up to score from the spot.

Tony Rougier was similarly influential operating on the right for Brentford, rather than as an orthodox centre forward as he did for Albion on loan from Reading towards the end of last season.

Rougier created the second goal nine minutes from the break with a penetrative cross. Nobody kept tabs on Jay Tabb as he made an intelligent run towards the near post.

The diminutive young forward sidefooted in his fifth goal in three games on the volley.

Midway through the second half Kuipers made amends for upending Kevin O'Connor by keeping out Hunt's resulting penalty which was struck too close to the big Dutchman.

A goal for Albion at that stage would have set up a fascinating finish. Instead Brentford finished them off with 12 minutes left.

Senegal stopper Ibrahima Sonko met Hunt's corner with a soaring header which Ben May, on loan from Millwall, scrambled in from close range.

The humiliation was not over yet. Three minutes from the end Mayo bundled over Hunt from behind and he made no mistake from the spot this time.

It's hard to believe, but it could have been worse. Kuipers also made a fine stop from Hunt's swivelling shot in the closing stages.

Albion offered little in return. Goalkeeper Paul Smith somehow diverted a close range effort from Leon Knight over the bar in the first half and Guy Butters' header from the ensuing corner was hacked off the line.

Booker admitted: "It could have been seven. We didn't really perform at any level, which was really disappointing.

"I am as gutted as the players. They have got to go away and think about it. They can bounce back and I am sure they will be picking themselves up for Saturday."

A faith-restoring victory at home to Stockport may come too late for Booker, but there is a ray of light after last night's carnage.

Albion were thrashed by the same score on their previous trip to Brentford under Taylor two seasons ago but still ended up as champions.

ALBION (4-4-2): Kuipers (gk) 8; Mayo (lb) 5, Cullip (cd) 6, Knight (f) 6, Hart (rm) 5, Carpenter (cm) 6, Butters (cd) 5, Jones (lm) 5, McPhee (f) 5, Hinshelwood (rb) 6, Rehman (cm) 5. Subs: Watson, Piercy for Jones (withdrawn 56) 5, Harding, Beck for McPhee (withdrawn 79), Flitney.

Bookings: Hinshelwood (24, foul), Kuipers (69, foul)

BRENTFORD: (4-4-2): P. Smith; Dobson, Somner, Sonko, Tabb, O'Connor, Hunt, Hutchinson, May, Rougier, Kitamirike. Subs: J. Smith, Evans, Peters for Tabb (withdrawn 81), Frampton for Dobson (injured 76), Lennie.

Scorers: Hunt (7, penalty), Tabb (36), May (78), Hunt (87, penalty).

Bookings: Kitamirike (33, foul).

Half-Time: Brentford 2 Albion 0.

Attendance: 6,532.

Fan's View: Mark Sanderson (Goring).

You should always take the positives out of any game.... well, the half time burgers were nice and it was good to see Dan Beck get his debut as a late substitute.

Other than that we witnessed a performance from a team lacking in ideas and creativity.

Dick Knight must act now to appoint the new manager, whoever that may be. He must be in place before Saturday.

Winning becomes a habit but so does losing.