Spread the love

 

Brentford progressed to the next phase of the JPT after easing past Wimbledon on Tuesday night – with both sides contributing to a highly entertaining, eight-goal ding-donger at Griffin Park.

The combination of an early kick-off, a warm late-summer’s evening, reduced admission prices, and a well followed, local away team meant that there was a better than usual atmosphere inside the ground for a JPT clash, and with so many quality goals to enjoy, this was a good way to end a roller-coaster week.

Uwe Rosler would have been pleased with his team’s performance over all, and the combination of youth and experience was certainly a better mix than at Derby a week ago – but seeing the Bees scoring goals after struggling in recent weeks was the biggest bonus from this run-out. And, most importantly, apart from George Saville being withdrawn on 22 minutes as a precaution to a slight knock, there appear to be no further injury concerns ahead of the journey to Bradford on Saturday.

AFC looked a well-organized side that came to play football, not defend in numbers for 90 minutes, in fact Farid El Alagui’s goal on 42 minutes was all that really separated the sides at the break.

Brentford upped the ante after the interval however, and emerged as a far more potent team – the Bees wracking up four further goals in a 25 minute spell where the Reeves, Saunders, Dallas creative midfield helped carve out goal-scoring chances for Norris, Nugent and (the real) Javi Venta, while Farid’s tenacity in the area saw the Moroccan striker slot home a second after rounding the keeper and teasing the AFC defence.

It was particularly pleasing to see Luke Norris get on the score-sheet – the young striker looked absolutely delighted after slotting home after a lovely through-ball from Reeves.

To their credit, AFC refused to throw the surrender, and cheered on by an impressive following, the visitors scored a couple of beauties toward the end of the match to make the score line more even.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable match and a positive night at Griffin Park.

Dave Lane