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BillytheBee gets lost in a railway siding in Cheshire but comes back happy safe in the knowledge that all three points (sic) had being secured from The Railwaymen.

Brentford roared back in to the automatic promotion race on Wednesdsy bringing home three vital points from JPT winners Crewe at Gretsey Road. With Brentford’s promotion rivals Doncaster, Sheffield Utd and Swindon all losing on Tuesday night, the ball really was in the Bee’s court and they knew delivery today would reap big big rewards.

This was more like the Bees that we all knew and loved. The fans were always confident they could deliver this type of performance hence the reason frustration had set in as of late. But they seized the opportunity coming out of the tunnel determined like pitbull terriers and from the very first minute, they went on the attack. Focussed was the best way to describe the Bees team. They knew what they had to do and got down to the task professionally. The challenged for every loose ball and didn’t give Crewe a chance to get into the game for a large part of the first half. Crewe players still celebrating their weekend Wembley victory were not ready for such vitriol.

And it was no surprise when, in the 12th minute, Brentford got another break and, with free flowing movement, saw the ball move from Douglas to Forshaw to Donaldson and down the line to Logan whose on-point whipped cross was met by the head of Bradley Wright Phillips (he’s better than Shaun) who rocketed home a peach of a goal to put the Bees one up.

Brentford were so dominant in the first half including good chances from Donaldson, Saunders, Adeyemi and Wright-Phillips, they could have easily been 4 goals up by half time. Harlee Dean rose above the defence to see his header rattle off the crossbar (video link) in another close chance for the Bees. But despite only being one goal to the good, Crewe never really threatened with Moore making only one real save – and it was a peach – from Matt Tootie.

Tom Adeyemi put in another powerful performance in midfield sweeping up loose balls and breaking up the attack but became somewhat unpopular with the locals following an incident including the home goalkeeper who was later substituted due to injury.

After the break Crewe fought back briefly but Brentford showed grit across the pitch. Again Forshaw, Donaldson and Douglas missed more good chances for the Bees. By now it could have been 6. Bradley Wright-Phillips was having his best game for Brentford and even felt comfortable enough to try overhead kicks on goal and all sorts. Douglas was having a commanding game in the middle of the park and causing problems for Crewe with his combative passing game. As Uwe looked to sure up a tiring midfield, he took off the vibrant Saunders and put on Diagouraga and also replaced Forshaw with Hodson. However, the substitution that killed the game stone dead was Marcello Trotta coming on for Bradley Wright-Phillips. It took less than 60 seconds for Douglas to find Trotta in the area and for him to turn and smash a sweet volley into the back of the net for one peach of a goal to double the Bees lead.

In truth it was no less than Brentford deserved after an excellent and committed team performance in front of a noisy 442 (plus another unnamed 2 who sat in the home end first half) travelling fans in the Ice Cream Vans stand. Chants of “The Bees are going up” and “Uwe Uwe” reverberated around Gretsey Road in an evening to remember for the London travellers. Crewe manage Steve Davis commented “Brentford were very competitive and powerful and were probably the best team we have met all season”. Can’t say really argue with that.

The win moves Brentford to 3rd in League One on 74 points with 4 games to play – 4 points behind and a game in hand over Doncaster who we play last game of the season; and 2 points and a game in hand over Bournemouth. Win them all and we are champions. Simples.

Words, video, pictures and general all around ‘colour’ from BillytheBee (@billythebee99), Condorman (@thecondorman) and Dave Lane (@beesotted100)

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