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Brentford returned to Griffin Park and to winning ways after outclassing a resurgent Notts County side.

Mark Warburton added Stuart Dallas to the right side of his three pronged attack with Clayton Donaldson shifted to the tip of the blade after The Bees failed to score in their three recent trips to the North.

The game started scrappily with County struggling with dealing with crosses into their box. Half chances fell to Dallas and Douglas before former Notts County star Alan Judge started his own shooting competition. His early radar needed a bit of calibration however, but he buzzed around the pitch bringing some much needed zip to Brentford’s play.

The game’s defining moment came on the half hour mark when a cute through ball to Donaldson drew a sliding tackle from Hollis. Ref Breakspear – no stranger to a card with 91 yellows and 8 reds to his name in the previous 22 games – produced yet another red card sending Hollis for an early bath. Adam Forshaw then dispatched the spot kick. Narrow margins but the right decision.

Brentford continued to press – Judge volleying wide from a full three yards whilst Clayton was again clipped in the box. This time the contact looked greater but the ref waved away the appeal.

County, cheered on by Joey Barton, had the odd good moment – Campbell-Ryce attacking at pace and Spencer blundering about like a wardrobe. But before the break it was 2-0 after Alan McCormack fed Judge who this time found the net with an exquisite finish.

The game was effectively over as a contest just after the restart when Bialkowski made an excellent double save from Diagouraga but was unable to stop Judge tapping home the rebound.

At 3-0 Mark Warburton started rotating his squad with Tarkowski, one yellow card away from a ban, Forshaw and Donaldson were all allowed an early sit down.

Brentford turned down the heat but continued to create chances, a Douglas diving header being well saved.

Notts ‘ Grealish then went on an impressive jinking run through the heart of the pitch before drawing a foul from sub Dean who earned an unwanted yellow for his troubles and putting him also one yellow card away from a ban. Alan Sheenan’s free kick was saved at full stretch by David Button. It was County, however, who concluded the day’s scoring when sloppy tracking allowed Spencer to net after he ran onto a long ball.

Overall it was a very competent and impressive Brentford win, peppered with some sloppy second half moments. The players won’t need reminding of their errors though as all got a steely eyed on-pitch reminder from Alan McCormack shortly afterwards.

Brentford are six points clear of third placed Rotherham with six games to play (three home, three away). Next up are Crawley at Griffin Park on Tuesday night where you can buy one match ticket before end of play Monday and get one free.

Brentford team – Button, Mac, Craig, Tarkowski (Dean), Bidwell, Toumani, Forshaw (Saville), Douglas, Dallas, Donaldson (Grigg), Judge

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