What is it about West London derbies for the Bees? Brentford made it 2 wins out of our last 3 games agasint QPR as the hapless hoops were royally humped at Loftus Road on Friday night. What a change from last season. With Fulham (10 points out of the last 12 against them for the Bees) next up, life is good at the moment.
No moreso than for Romaine Sawyers. He answered last weekend’s terrace boo boys in some style. His second half strike to give us a 2-0 lead is already an early contender for goal of the season and had the fans in raptures.
Romaine’s strike the pick of the highlights
I could watch this one again and again and again. And I have. Sure, the QPR defence looked holier than the Pope (and were about as benevolent) but you still need the technique to put it away. What. A. Finish.
“The look on his face before he hit it”, opined one terrace wag to me, “you just knew what was going to happen”. And sure enough, it did. It was the perfect reaction to last Saturday against Barnsley where the player’s substitution was cheered by sections of the Griffin Park crowd.
View from the terrace – the net starts to bulge
Dean Smith would later tell Bees official how chuffed he was, feeling Romaine had been harshly treated. “I am chuffed for Romaine because I felt he got a little bit harshly treated on Saturday but that was more frustration at how the game was going at the time rather than Romaine himself,” Dean said.
Whilst, understandably, I think there’s an element of protecting his player in that statement Romaine was the first to admit he hadn’t had a good one on Saturday. What a beautiful way to respond and how wonderful to see all the deserved plaudits.
But it isn’t just Romaine. Brentford gave a fantastic team effort that made QPR look hugely inadequate. It was an effort personified by Josh Clarke, my MOTM, ripping Rangers to shreds before grabbing the first goal just before half time. The ever impressive youngster weaved through the box to find the back of the net for 1-0. The crowd went bonkers . The QPR fans went for an early cuppa.
It was a goal which had been coming after an opening 15 mins where the teams had tested each other and Brentford had been happy to build into the match. But build they did and, aside from a brief flurry at the start of the second half, there was no doubt.Things were as confident and calm at the back as you could have hoped for. QPR weren’t even given half a chance to get back into a game that had barely seen them involved.
Oh, Dean Smith. If you are reading this (you aren’t) what a way to bounce back after the disappointment, and somewhat unusual team selection, of last season. The team were up for it. The fans were up for it. QPR were blown away – on and off the pitch.
Standing for the full 90 minutes and cheering as one, the goals were rightly, and wonderfully, celebrated. It was a marked contrast from some of the angry sniping and backbiting that had accompanied out previous visit.
Fans celebrate Josh Clarke’s opener
The Bees fans were impeccably behaved – no bad thing given the totally apathetic, and confrontational, attitude of the stewards. Over crowding on the steps and in the stands eventually having to be self-policed as everybody made room for each other . The alleged safety staff’s only response being to stop supporters with tickets getting into their designated blocks. “Just go somewhere else” one said to me before common sense prevailed.
Hmm. Try that one with a Millwall or West Ham, based on current form, and lets see where that gets you. That said, certainly not a problem in the home end where, with the game approaching its denouement and Brentford still 2-0 up, there seems to have been some form of fire drill.
I’m sure this was full earlier. Still 8 minutes to go
And it wasn’t just in the stands that we were watching a first win at Loftus Road in 52 years. Supporters tuned in from all round the world to enjoy this one.
The only sour note on the field of play was the injury to Lewis Macleod. Having finally overcome all those niggles and knocks, he has been looking like the player we could only hope he was. So the sight of him being given an oxygen mask and then stretchered off after a lengthy delay for treatment to a knee injury was not a good one. Fingers crossed it was precautionary but I fear that’s nothing more than blind optimism.
Whilst all our thoughts are with Lewis, let’s end this one on a high note. Who else but Mr. Brentford, Peter Gilham, to pop up and give his opinion on our 2-0 win.
Now bring on Fulham!
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Couldnt make the game because of work, so had to make do with the TV. The team performance was outstanding. Every player contributed. There were 8 or 9 out of 10 performances all over the pitch. Jack Robinson will be waking up in cold sweats for weeks to come dreaming of Maxime & Clarke running rings around him. McEachran finally put in a show which reflected his early career promise. Woods ran the midfield (Chery who?). Hogan was a pest to the QPR defence all night. Harlee back and solid, Egan put in one of the best defensive displays in a Bees shirt for some time. Bjelland, so experienced, can see danger so early and stepped in and tidied up with minimum of effort.
One of the TV highlights was seeing the pain on JFH’s face. He looked as if he did not want to be there and would rather have hid in a corner and cried. The look on his face showed that he had no idea what to do against us, and looked instead like a lost little boy.
Brentford are a club looking to the future full of ambition but doing so within our financial means and we are looking young, fit and healthy whereas QPR are a club who are looking rather ill. They are putting plasters on oozing wounds. The plasters they are using are still costing a fair bit but they arent well made and they are not stopping the ooze, and in the meantime more wounds are appearing. Eventually they are going to have buy Lidl plasters, and they arent going to do anything and by that time the infection will be terminal. Gross!
Covered a lot of ground with that summary NB, nicely done. What a night that was, everyone involved is automatically propelled into folklore now- all heroes. This game is the big one for me, it always will be, and a win there has been a long time coming. I heard emotional people around me saying stuff like “that was for the old man RIP – he never ever liked Rangers” I was surrounded by cocky hoopers at school, it was hard being Brentford sometimes, but I’ve never regretted choosing my tribe.
Yet this was so much more than a big win at local rivals, it was further evidence of our bright star rising just as theirs is fading. Many a sensible hooper clapped us off last night and a tour of their forums will tell you that the more honest amongst them see night and day between our footballing philosophy and theirs.
It s a bumpy road at times and never a perfect science, but MB and his people really know what they are doing, Back them to the full and Brentford will have a real shot at regaining our pre war place in the game! Brentford FC, pride of Middlesex, pride of west London!
So pleased for Romaine and really hope it is “lift off” for him now, his post match tweet was prophetic – when we give this team our full support they can do amazing things. We need to fill GP and give the same backing at home as we do away – outstanding support again last night.
Looks like we’ve found one in Josh Clarke, between him and Egan for my motm. Also thoughts to Lewis Mac, he’s a Brentford hero now and the bees family will need to come together again to look after him
Quick shout out to Marcus Gayle – for giving Romaine a midweek pep talk & for again showing his colours as Brentford through and through – the man is family. Also a shout to Mark Lazarus for showing love and respect to the Brentford end in the midst of a slightly embarrassing Rangers love in with Messrs Sinton and Wilkins (doubt he drove btw).
Chant of the night was “Jimmy Floyd Allardyce” liked that, clever.
Fulham next, these games are routine now, that’s how far we’ve come – pinch yourselves.