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That was the press headline following Brentford’s 4-1 victory at Molineux in the midst of the 1985/86 season. That campaign was a depressing one for Bees fans, with Frank McLintock’s team under-performing dismally throughout and to try and pick many highlights from the nine months would be a tough chore, with the exception of the memorable winter’s afternoon in the Midlands.

Brentford were firmly ensconced in mid-table, a massive 20 points behind leaders Reading, with another gap of more than 20 points down to table-propping-up Wolves, who were surely destined for the Fourth Division.

It was the first visit to Molineux since September 1946, when two goals from Fred Durrant gave Brentford a 2-1 victory, and the fourth post-war meeting between the two teams ended in the same way as the previous three – a win for the Bees.

Andy Sinton, playing his sixth league game following his £25,000 transfer from Cambridge United, had a storming afternoon and produced his best form to date in his favoured central midfield role, scoring two outstanding goals. Although Terry Hurlock was also back in the fold after missing the previous two games through suspension, injuries robbed McLintock of Bob Booker and Gary Phillips, with Richard Key taking over for a rare outing in goal.

In the 16th minute Andy Sinton’s corner was nodded on by Terry Evans to George Torrance. He flicked it back, Jamie Murray nodded down and there was Robbie Cooke, eight yards out, turning to lash the ball into the net. Eleven minutes later, Torrance’s run and cross set up Rowan Alexander, he laid the ball back and Andy Sinton, after looking like he had lost possession, beat off a challenge, dribbled past another and then drilled a shot past the helpless Flowers.

Brentford were well and truly buzzing and two minutes before the break, Alexander nodded on Key’s long clearance and Robbie Cooke found himself in the clear. Looking up, he saw Flowers advancing and coolly chipped the ball over him for an exquisite third goal. There was no way back for Wolves and just six minutes after the interval, Andy Sinton robbed Eli, advanced on a retreating defence and hammered a fierce low shot in off the foot of the post for 4-0.

Nine minutes from time, Terry Hurlock conceded possession with a sloppy pass and the home side pulled a goal back but it mattered little and Flowers prevented further humiliation when he got down to brilliantly tip Sinton’s shot round the post.

By then, Molineux was almost empty as the faithful few in the 3,420 crowd had already trooped out, leaving the sprawling, cavernous half-demolished stadium entirely to the celebrating Bees fans.

What odds on a repeat?

Mark Croxford

FSFBUTTON