Barnsley 0 Brentford 1 - No happy sequel for Tykes
The events of 125 days earlier in West London – when these two sides previously met on an astonishing evening of high stakes, emotion, drama and tears – had to be seen to be believed, even accounting for the Championship’s trademark capacity to exhilarate.
They were never likely to be replicated last night, with Clarke Oduor’s stoppage-time winner for Barnsley in Brentford’s league farewell to Griffin Park on July 22 standing as one of the cherished moments in the Reds’ recent history.
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Hide AdBrentford’s shattered players lay prostrate on the turf following the final whistle after spectacularly blowing their chance of an automatic promotion ticket to the Premier League and history.
Those wounds will still be sore for those involved on that night. But this was a spot of balm, all the same.
A fully merited victory for the Bees arrived thanks to a goal midway through the second half from former Reds loanee Ivan Toney.
Having failed to net in 11 appearances at Oakwell during loan spells with the Reds in 2015-16, it proved an appropriate number for him on his return as he netted his 11th goal of the campaign and certainly looked pleased with himself judging by his reaction as he headed towards Brentford’s bench.
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Hide AdSeeking to secure a fourth successive home win at this level for the first time since December 2007, Barnsley were off it from their high recent standards.
Before the game, head coach Valerien Ismael spoke of his players ‘smelling the blood’ of opponents in an indicator of their recent hunger and confidence.
Here, the only thing that was bloody was the possession count on a night when the visiting team had 68 per cent of it.
After three successive clean sheets in home matches under the watch of Ismael, Barnsley strove valiantly for a fourth.
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Hide AdBut a lapse allowed Toney to head home Mathias Jensen’s outswinging corner and that was pretty much that on a night when the hosts created little.
So far this season, Brentford had not been firing on all cylinders after the break-up of their acclaimed ‘BMW’ strikeforce – consisting of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins.
Others may have not moved through the gears, but Toney has thankfully been motoring for the Bees’ sakes, with his opposite number Cauley Woodrow forced to feed off little in contrast here.
Brentford resembled rabbits-in-headlines in the first half of the pair’s summer meeting when they simply could not cope with Barnsley’s ferocity and game plan on their big night, but the evidence here showed that had wised up.
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Hide AdIt was the Bees who carried the early intent as they delivered a powerhouse opening, with the hosts weathering the pressure and finding their way as the half progressed.
The action was not all to Ismael’s liking, with the Reds chief – such a cool customer – showing the occasional flash of frustration in a half where Brentford were in control.
But he will have at least been pleased by the way that his side overcame a tough opening when Brentford asked significant questions.
It yielded two good chances to the visitors, who posed a particular threat down the hosts’ right through Tariqe Fosu and Rico Henry.
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Hide AdFosu went the closest for the Londoners, with his fine strike turned away well by the in-form Jack Walton, while Henry’s daisy-cutter flew inches wide after clever build-up.
Barnsley, led by Alex Mowatt, regrouped, with their best moment coming when a swerving strike from the Reds captain was parried by David Raya, while Dominic Frieser just failed to turn in a fine cross from Callum Brittain.
For all Brentford’s possession glut, the hosts’ discipline off the ball was striking.
The issue at the break was doing a bit more at the other end, made difficult by the presence of one of the division’s best central defensive partnerships.
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Hide AdBrentford forced the issue on the restart with Mbeumo’s curler not far away and Pontus Jansson heading straight at Walton.
The pressure finally told when Toney did what he could not manage in his time with the Reds in finding the net at Oakwell and Barnsley could have few complaints on a night when they were second best.
Mbeumo blazed over and the visitors survived a strong appeal for handball against Vitaly Janelt following a powerful run from substitute Victor Adeboyejo.
It was not the hosts’ night, plain and simple.
Barnsley: Walton; Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen; Brittain, James (Kane 71), Mowatt (Oduor 71), Styles; Chaplin (Adeboyejo 71), Woodrow, Frieser (Thomas 59). Substitutes unused: Collins, Moon, Palmer, Miller, Schmidt.
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Hide AdBrentford: Raya; Dalsgaard, Jansson, Pinnock, Henry; Jensen, Janelt; Mbeumo (Canos 77), Dasilva (Marcondes 45), Fosu (Ghoddos 87); Toney (Forss 87). Substitutes unused: Daniels, Thompson, Sorensen, Hammar, Pressley.
Referee: D Bond (Lancashire).
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