GRIFFIN PARK received the perfect send-off as Brentford booked their place in Tuesday night’s Championship play-off final. Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Marcondes scored in the first 15 minutes to overturn Swansea’s 1-0 first-leg advantage. And Bryan Mbeumo scored straight after half-time but Rhian Brewster pulled one back with 12 minutes left to set up a […]
GRIFFIN PARK received the perfect send-off as Brentford booked their place in Tuesday night’s Championship play-off final.
Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Marcondes scored in the first 15 minutes to overturn Swansea’s 1-0 first-leg advantage.
And Bryan Mbeumo scored straight after half-time but Rhian Brewster pulled one back with 12 minutes left to set up a nerve-racking finale.
Everything had seemed scripted for one last glorious night.
Even the opponents you could not make up for the 116-year-old ground’s swansong in Swansea.
After blowing automatic promotion by losing the last two games of the regular season against Stoke and Barnsley – as well as losing at the Liberty on Sunday – Brentford would have been forgiven for feeling the jitters.
Especially when you throw in the fact they have not won a single play-off game for 11 matches, spanning 18 years.
But last night, not a chance. They came out like a train… or should that be a slick, fast BMW.
The trio of Benrahma, Mbeumo and Watkins – who have scored a staggering 57 goals between them – had incredibly not scored in the last three games.
They were motoring after just 11 minutes with Watkins firing his 26th goal of the season.
But it was all about the pass. Mathias Jensen’s defence-splitting ball from midfield was like threading a needle.
Watkins was on to in a flash and slotted past Edwin Mulder.
And the tie was turned on what felt like a blink of an eye – but it was in fact four minutes later.
Benrahma got free down the left, as he so often does.
He cut back on his right foot and delivered a cross of pure quality for Marcondes, who had lost his marker, to head powerfully home.
Yet Swansea had a great chance to put a spanner in the works when Conor Gallagher got free down the other end.
But his shot which could have levelled the tie was superbly saved by David Raya to his left.
However, the Bees charged straight down the other end as Benrahma wiggled free down the left and struck an angled effort that his the left post and rolled across the face of goal.
And if you thought Brentford got out of the traps quick in the first half, that was nothing compared to after the break when they added a third almost immediately.
Rico Henry – wrongly sent off in the first leg and rescinded on review – got on an overlap on the left and sent over a superb cross.
The ball was slightly behind Mbeumo but the French winger managed to turn and fire a volley past Mulder for a brilliant goal.
Ethan Pinnock then headed over from a Benrahma cross as Brentford continued to attack.
But Swansea knew they had to start gambling to stand a chance of getting themselves back into the match and started to get a foothold.
And Raya had to fingertip a powerful shot from Connor Roberts over the bar.
Swansea made it a nervy last 12 minutes by pulling one back.
Pontus Jansson made a real hash of clearing and Brewster cashed in with a wonderful lob over Raya.
Benrahma looked like he would settle things as he ran through down the other end but his effort thumped off the bar.
The referee added six minutes stoppage time and Benrahma was so close again but fired just over from distant.
Swansea won a corner at the death and Mulder was sent up but the Bees held on.
Brentford await the winners of the other semi-final between Fulham and Cardiff City on Thursday, with the London side leading 2-0 from the first leg.
