Brentford put the memories of last season’s Loftus Road nightmare to rest on Friday night with a rousing win against Queens Park Rangers – impressive Brentford running out 2-0 winners to mark a long-overdue win in W12.
Eyebrows were raised before the match when the team sheet showed Josh McEachran and Ryan Woods starting, a combination that rarely clicks in midfield, but few could argue that the Bees controlled the middle of the park, with battling performances all over the pitch.
Brentford were bright from the beginning, but rather than fade and wither, as they did in their last visit to Loftus Road, Dean Smith’s men grew in stature, with Josh Clarke putting in his most accomplished performance to date – McEachran came of age too – as did Romaine Sawyers, whose second half beauty was the perfect way to put recent criticism behind him.
The opening goal came three minutes before the break, but it had been a long time coming – Brentford turned the screw and had created several chances that, on another day, would have put us out of sight – but Clarke found a composed finish to round off an excellent half and sent the travelling fans potty.
Rangers upped it a little after the break but didn’t really ever worry Daniel Bentley – with Dean, Egan, Colin and Bjelland equal to most of what was thrown at them – but we all knew a second goal was required to kill off Rangers.
That moment came on 74 minutes when Maxime Colin set up Sawyers who sent a superb shot crashing into the top corner, and the celebrations that followed, were a mixture of pure joy, relief and immense pride. As you will see on the Beesotted video!
Our thoughts have also got to be with Lewis Macleod who was stretchered off with what looked like a bad knee injury – it is too early to know the extent of the problem at this stage. The seven minutes injury time gave Kerschbaumer a rare run out, and he looked good… almost adding to the score line with a shot that went agonizingly over.
“West London is ours!” echoed around Loftus Road at the final whistle as the players and fans applauded one another for the performances both on and off the pitch, before Bees fans headed to pubs to celebrate a famous win. I hope the players were allowed a couple of ‘cold drinks’ too!
Bring on the Fulham.
Dave Lane
@beesotted100
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Great summary Dave and great night out – makes such a change – in all our previous visits we’ve played like donkeys!!
Only criticism is Rangers should have been buried by half time. Towards the end they looked desperate to get the game over with.
Hope the incident at White City Station was nothing to do with the match.
Hope Lewis is all right.
although I was not at the game, my neighbour who was, is a relative of the chap who collapsed at White City. A QPR Fan collapsed with a severe heart attack, fortunately he was attended too very quickly and was in hospital very quickly. I have spoken to my neighbour again and the chap is out of danger and saying how badly QPR had played, so he must be on the way back to full recovery.
We need to make some sort of official complaint about the appalling amateurishness of the stewards at QPR.
When the second goal was scored partisan stewards jumped in to victimise one long-standing BEES fan who was merely cheering and dancing. He was later told that he had to sign some sort of admission that he harassed a steward or would face arrest!
Another BEES fan who was in his late 50s who was carrying medication in his bag, was also being targeted by stewards while just one yard away, some of our livelier and younger supporters were indulging in what might generously be described as delirious mayhem.
The untrained and ill-prepared stewards we had to endure, seem to be symptomatic a club in decline, poorly organised and teetering on the precipice of yet another scandal.
When last was Lotus Road so empty at the final whistle blew?
The stewarding at this appallingly run club (which has the cheek to charge some of the highest ticket prices too) has always been terrible. I went to a Premiership game as a neutral 3 years ago and vowed never to return as I found myself in an area where none of the QPR ‘fans’ would sit down. £52 to watch a losuy game abd stand all the way through it, listening to braindead ‘man children’ shouting ****er nonstop at opposition (Spurs) players. I asked th stwards to make the guys sit down – no chance! What are they paid for? I don’t know. Terrible club. Terrible fans. On the evidence of my eyes watching it on TV, terrible team too! Well done the Bees!
Top video gents, capturing the excitement and passion of the evening. Almost as good a performance as the Brighton win, given Brighton are a far better side than QPR. If we can only be more consistent, home and away, we can make a top 8 finish. Fulham will come to GP on Friday full of confidence after hammering Huddersfield and wanting to put right their abjectly poor last appearance there. Can’t wait…..
What a night! Even the confrontational police & stewards couldn’t spoil it, sure it’s a dump but I loved being there. You’ve more than covered the game, one that will live long in the memory & was a long time coming. That was for all those Bees living and deceased that knew their history, resisted the take over, or like me simply had to put up with them, lording it at school in the late 70’s / early 80’s. More than anything Friday’s events showed that it is our time again now – one club on the up, the other, well not so much….
Some great banter too, the “Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank” chant was a killer. Loved watching the Rangers bloke near me slope off early, having been aggressively giving out the 3-0 signs just over a hour earlier – make sure we don’t do dopey stuff like this on Friday btw.
The players & staff are all heroes now, special nods go out to Judgey for the tweet, and to Martin Allen & Marcus Gayle for properly nailing their colours to the BFC mast. Also to Mark Lazarus who stepped away from their half time love in to clap the entire away end – shame a few others who played for both couldn’t follow suit – you know who they are. And then we had Ray Wilkins, a QPR legend, really?? I bet his Uber fare back to surrey was lumpy…
Very tough one Friday, they’ll feel due one and are a better side now. We’ll be up for it too though, up to us the support to “bring it” to GP, just like we do on the road.
Thank you Brentford FC, you made me very proud that I chose our tribe back in the day, when it was so easy not to.
I meant “Jimmy Floyd Allardyce” chant – doh.
Need to get Martin Allen on hang the bee jay – the fella is god, broke ranks with the family & bleeds red & white.
Good call