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Walking out of the County Ground on the way back to Swindon station past all the local grizzlers intimidating us outside their local pub, I had the biggest smile on my face.

To me that goal against Swindon was the most important goal of the season. Forget Preston. Forget Sheffield Utd. Forget the goals against Chelsea. This was the one.

There has been a lot said about the Doncaster game and the infamous £4million penalty miss. Yes that was distressing. But most of us fans managed to pick ourselves up fairly quickly after that as did the team. The vibe in The Merlin pub pre-match was one of total positivity amongst Bees fans. The ability to pick-me-up like that in an instant … you can’t buy that. That comes with experience. The fans have been through a lot over the years to be able to throw themselves right back into the thick of it. This team has gained invaluable experience this season in coming back from the brink. These qualities I believe will see us over the finish line.

The difference between the last minute chances against Sheffield, Preston, Doncaster and yesterday’s last minute predicament is …. against Sheffield, Preston and Doncaster we knew would always get another chance. If we had lost one or two of those games, to be honest we would have still ended up in the play-offs and ultimately Brentford would still have one more chance to win promotion. Scant reward for missing a championship-winning penalty … but fact.

Yesterday was different. Once Swindon went one goal up, for the first time this season I had a real feeling of dread. For the first time this season I actually felt that maybe our luck had finally run out. The feeling that our season would be ending on Monday at 7.30pm was becoming a reality. Not because I felt that we weren’t capable of beating Swindon. I believe that we can beat anyone in this league. But I was worried that Swindon would park the bus just like Doncaster, Preston and a lot of other teams have done at Griffin Park this season and that would be just one obstacle too many to overcome for Brentford. Oh ye of little faith yeah.

Swindon and Bournemouth have been quoted all season as being the best footballing sides in the division. When I found out that we were to play Swindon, I wasn’t happy. They were the team that I least wanted to play. When I told Jonathan Douglas my fears at the Big Red Ball, asking him if he wouldn’t have preferred playing Sheffield Utd, he shrugged it of saying “Doesn’t matter who we play. We’ll beat them all”. There’s confidence for you.

2nd highest goal-scorers in our league, Swindon couldn’t be taken for granted – despite them finishing in the lowest playoff position. So what was our game plan? As Uwe said “When you play away from home, if you are not winning you have to make sure you are not losing”. And Brentford set themselves up to ensure that they didn’t lose this game.

In blustery wind which made it near on impossible to play decent football, it was all going according to plan at half time. With the midfield of Douglas, Forshaw, Hodson and Adeyemi working hard, Brentford were doing well to keep control of the game without creating any real clear cut chances – Adam Forshaw having the best Bees chance of the game – clear through on goal he shot wide when really he should have done better.

The 2nd half should have seen Brentford take advantage of kicking with the wind and away from the sun but in the 70th minute Luongo, on loan from Spurs, scored the opening goal of the game to put Swindon on top. That should have been game, set and match for Swindon but they were unable to close shop and as Brentford changed their line up – bringing on El Alagui, Saunders and Forrester – they upped their game. That never-give-up spirit was still very much alive.

So it was like Groundhog Day when Douglas put a ball through to Forrester and he was brought down by Swindon goalscorer Luongo for an late, late penalty. Luongo had gone from hero to villain in 20 minutes straight. It was the fourth minute of injury time once again. This time the get out of jail card was handed to skipper Kevin O’Connor. Would he use the card effectively? Confidently he steps up and buries it – to scenes of delerium on the away terrace. That never-say-die fighting spirit has once again kept Brentford’s promotion dream alive.

So as I was walking back to the station past all those grizzlers intimidating us outside their local pub I really didn’t care. I had a huge smile on my face. Because I was there .. behind the goal .. to witness in person what I truly believe to have been the most important goal of the season. That goal has not only kept us in the game, delivering what Uwe had set out to do from the kick-off. It has given us the edge.

Swindon now have to pick themselves up from the pits. They have to pull themselves back from the same crushing disappointment that we had to go through last weekend …. but in two days. We’re well over it now. That penalty has blown away those final lingering cobwebs.

On Monday Griffin Park will be buzzing with over 10,000 Bees baying the team onto victory. People thought last Doncaster day was our moment. But you were wrong. Yesterday at Swindon was our moment. It was our moment to put things right. To banish those skeletons. And I have every confidence that our team of warriors will now deliver what they need to to on Monday to take us on the road to Wembley. Cmooooooon you Bees.

BillytheBee
@billythebee99