Alan Judge: Leyton Orient trip excites Brentford midfielder

Alan Judge says Brentford must relish their trip to League One automatic promotion rivals Leyton Orient.

Brentford, one point behind second-placed Orient but with two games in hand, travel across London on Saturday.

"If you don't thrive under this kind of pressure you don't want to be playing," the midfielder told BBC London 94.9.

"You want to be going into games with pressure on you. It is the best thing about football. A bit of nerves and butterflies is great."

The 25-year-old added: "It's nice to be involved in something like this. I've been relegated but have never been promoted.

The O's were the early pace-setters in the third tier, starting the season with a club-record eight successive victories, and have been in the top two for the majority of the campaign.

Brentford, meanwhile, have propelled themselves from mid-table into automatic promotion contenders on the back of a recent 19-match unbeaten run.

"They are a very good team and Russell Slade is a very good manager," Judge added.

"I don't think they are getting enough credit for what they have done. Both teams are in a great position.

"We've got two games in hand on them but that doesn't come into play on Saturday.

"I don't think it will have a say on the rest of the season as there are a lot of games to play and a lot more points to play for.

"But we have got to go in there and give everything we can."

Judge joined Brentford on loan from Blackburn in January and has scored three goals in 10 league appearances for the Bees.

The former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international says he is enjoying his time at Griffin Park and is open to making the move permanent should he be deemed surplus to requirements by Rovers boss Gary Bowyer.

"The players, manager and the coaching staff have been great with me," Judge said.

"I play my best when I am happy and I am really happy at the moment.

"I think I am showing what I can do. I will reassess what happens at the end of the year.

"I was a bit frustrated with not playing as many games as I thought I should have [at Blackburn], but that is what happens.

"I get on well with the manager at Blackburn and I will wait my time if he decides he needs me. If not, we wait and see what happens."