Ollie Watkins scored a later winner as the Bee’s beat Middlesbrough to continue their promotion surge.

 

Brentford returned to Griffin Park after an emphatic 5-1 win at Hull last weekend, to face a Middlesbrough side who were winless in their last six matches.

 

Struggle to get going

 

Both sides struggled to get a hold on the game in the early stages, in what was a tense and scrappy opening to the match.

 

The hosts grew into the game and were unlucky not to go in front in the 21st minute. After some good work by Said Benrahma to keep the ball in play, his cross fell to Jay Dasilva whose header hit the post.

 

The breakthrough came in the 25th minute thanks to the help of goal-line technology. Mathias Jensen’s corner found its way too Julian Jeanvier who turned the ball over the line before it could be cleared away.

 

The visitors responded well and had chances to get back into the game before the break. The best of them fell in the 34th minute. After some good attacking play by Boro, Wing beat Henrik Dalsgaard before cutting the ball back to Tavernier, who failed to test Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.

 

Goals galore

 

The Bees returned from the interval looking to build on their 1-0 lead and began the second half as they ended the first, by putting the visitors under a great deal of pressure.

 

However, the visitors equalised in the 59th minute in a manic spell which saw three goals in six minutes. Lewis Wing’s 25-yard effort on the counter attack beat Raya, before going in off the post. 

 

Brentford responded well and found leading again in the 60th minute. Bryan Mbeumo’s effort was heading wide until the ball hit Harold Moukoudi, deflecting the attempt goalwards, and leaving Boro goalkeeper Aynsley Pears with no chance.  

 

Just three minutes later, the visitors again levelled from an in swinging which was nodded in by striker Ashley Fletcher.

 

Bees snatch all 3 points

 

It looked as if Boro were going to deny Brentford their first ever double over them until Watkins cooly converted his 20th league goal of the season from Christian Nørgaard’s cross in the 88th minute. The striker is in sublime form and he remains the joint top goal scorer in the Championship alongside Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

 

The win leaves Thomas Frank’s side in 5th  place, just two points off of 2nd placed Leeds, with a superior goal-difference over their rivals.

 

Man of the match – Ollie Watkins

 

 

Teams:

 

Brentford: Raya, Dalsgaard, Jeanvier, Pinnock, Henry, Jensen (Marcondes 72), Nørgaard, Dasilva, Mbeumo (Roerslev 90), Watkins, Benrahma; SUBS: Daniels, Racic, Baptiste, Roerslev, Fosu, Valencia, Marcondes. (4-3-3).

 

Middlesbrough: Pears, Moukoudi, McNair, Fry, Howson, Wing, Saville, Coulson, Johnson (Assombalonga 63), Tavernier (Nmecha 75), Fletcher (Gestede 85); SUBS : Meijas, Spence, Clayton, Morrison, Nmecha, Assombalonga, Gestede. (3-4-3).

 

Attendance: 12,285 (1,608 away fans).