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Friday night’s victory over fierce local rivals, QPR, was packed full of positive performances from our perspective – the Brentford players, to a man, did us all proud – but to me, the biggest plus point was Josh Clarke’s ‘coming of age’.

The versatile wide man shone more than all others, especially in the first half, where the youngster produced his finest display in a Bees shirt to date, and topped a great 45 minutes with the opening goal just before the break.

Clarke used the televised clash at Loftus Road to further cement his place in the side, and the faith shown in him since he signed his new contract, and the start of a fresh season, is starting to pay dividends.

Before the transfer deadline closed we were all crying out for more attacking options and width in our squad, and the arrival of Sullay Kaikai suggested that Clarke may be marginalised at the expense of the Palace loanee, however, it is Clarke who is emerging as the real star.

We’ve tracked Josh’s progress since witnessing his promising debut in, an otherwise torrid, 5-0 League Cup defeat at Derby County during Uwe Rossler’s reign, then his loan spell at Barnet where he got among the goals, so it’s great to see ‘one of our own’ emerging as a genuinely exciting, regular, first teamer.

The problem Josh now faces is in keeping up, then improving upon, the high standards he set last week when we take on Fulham this Friday, and then for the rest of the campaign… Not blowing hot and cold, not become predictable and easy to mark out of the game by experienced Championship defenders, and knowing when to feed Scott Hogan with perfect through balls or when to go solo. It is a big task, admittedly, but I reckon he’s up for it.

The confidence I hope he has taken from Loftus Road, and the plaudits from the press and fans since, should have him pumped up and raring to go under the Griffin Park floodlights when Fulham come to town, and I’ll be honest with you, this Bee can’t wait to witness the next chapter in Josh Clarke’s evolution from ‘full of promise and potential’ to ‘full of tricks and assists’.

What do you think? Please leave your comments below.

Dave Lane
@beesotted100