We’re through. On a night where the FA Cup headlines were made by a huge scare for Wolves and a massive slip up for Middlesbrough, Brentford dodged the potato skin that was a replay at home to Barnet and eased to a 3-1 win. But for a brief flurry later in the second half it was every bit as comfortable as the scoreline suggests. Indeed, it probably should have been more as the (proper) Bees made it 10 games unbeaten ahead of Saturday’s visit to Nottingham Forest and now face the prospect of a fifth round trip to Swansea City.
There was no way through for Barnet on Tuesday
A game played out in the shadow of Tony Kleanthous’ crazed rant about ticket allocation, something caused completely by his own club’s somewhat free and easy approach to sales, had the potential to see Brentford caught with their pants down. The Barnet supporters certainly started off in vocal form before Sergi Canos took the wind out of their sails with the opening goal after 7(seven) minutes. A short corner routine saw the ball guided in as the Spaniard slid home his third goal in as many games and from there it was game over.
This is not a drill. That is not a typo. A short corner worked. Repeat. A short corner actually worked. You got the feeling from that moment that this was going to be our night. When that most unsuccessful of set pieces pays dividends you know something special is happening.
Brentford continued to push. Barnet weren’t even at the races in the opening period. The epic 3-3 of the original game being put into context as a near full strength Brentford team took the non-leaguers apart. Luke Daniels, Josh McEachran and Mads Bech Sörensen coming in to a team full of all those other names we know and love. Thomas Frank was certainly taking no chances on this one, even if he was able to see the likes of Ollie Watkins , Yoann Barbet and Kamohelo Mokotjo kept fresh for Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.
Mads Bech Sörensen looked comfortable filling in for Yoann Barbet
Julian Jeanvier made it 2-0 with half an hour gone as he executed a beautiful volley. Said Benrahma with the assist, yet again. How many times has that line been used in recent games? Five in the last five, being the answer. Indeed, per the BBC he’s actually had a hand in eight goals over that period. Aswell as the assists he’s also found the back of the net three times. A wonderful return for a player who has yet again proven the wisdom in our once maligned transfer policy. Hats off to Mr. Benham and the recruitment team for their vision.
Half time came and went. Brentford continued to push. The visitors began to up their tempo. An early contretemps on the Braemar Road touchline threatening to spill over as emotions got the better of Barnet and referee Roger East lost total control of a situation that eventually resolved itself in two yellow cards for our guests. Luke Daniels saw his crossbar rattled as Neal Maupay and Romaine Sawyers came close. Sergi and Said continuing to pull the strings. And then it was over.
The goal machine that is Neal Maupay did his thing once more. This time it was The World Cup’s Henrik Dalsgaard of Brentford (TM) who turned provider. His ball into the box swept home by the Frenchman to make it five successive games where we have scored three goals or more. One can only presume Nottingham Forest fans are hoping Martin O’Neill has some added steel to his backline. On this run of form, you’d back Brentford to score against anyone.
With the Brentford fans still cheering, there was a glimmer of hope. David Tutonda firing home a quite exquisite strike to send the visiting supporters into rapture and offer some hope of salvation. Sadly, for them, it wasn’t to be. There were to be no further efforts or goals. No further FA Cup fairytale for the non-leaguers. Instead, it’s a trip from Griffin Park to Swansea City and their Liberty Stadium on the 17th for that infamous 4pm, rail replacement bus hit, Sunday afternoon fifth round tie.
Yet as we exited with the players celebrating and Peter Gilham exhorting us to check the website for travel news, could there be some salvation coming the way of anybody wanting to make the journey for this one? Here’s hoping.
All that’s to come. For now we’ve a trip to the City ground and a home game with Aston Villa to focus on before the visit to Swansea. The woes of November and December are rapidly disappearing over the horizon and Brentford are playing some incredible football.
Thomas Frank walked all round the ground at full time, following in the wake of his players to applaud the fans. There’s a real buzz around Griffin Park at present and it’s so nice to see him being able to enjoy it. Fair to say there’s probably a lot of egg on faces at present from those giving him a hard time after Dean Smith departed, with the Bees already tottering on the brink of that dreadful run. Instead, the defence has sorted itself out and the goals are flooding in.
What a time to be a Bee! Now bring on Swansea City. And Forest.
View from the Braemar: Thomas and Said take the plaudits at full time.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Like you say it was a fairly comfortable evening in the end, with the outcome never in any doubt, and all without having to go into a high gear.
What should have been a fairly fun occasion was unnecessarily tense before kick off after the Barnet chairman’s vacuous ticketing policy of a first come first served buy up to 6 tickets policy. The results of which were clearly seen on Ealing Road at 7.15, with a huge body of mouthy children making their way from South Ealing under a heavy police escort. After 3 police vans later reaching the apex by the New Inn and a nervy police barricade stretching across the road to divert said kids itching for a fight with whoever, down New Road. The cost of the huge police presence will eat into whatever profits Kleanthous will have received from the game. So well done Tony!!
Am i reading too much into it, but Matthew Benham’s tweets of him on holiday, was a kind of 2 fingers up at Kleanthous, basically saying ‘i dont care what you say, youre insignficant, im on holiday, thats how much i care’.
Looking forward to round 5 and Swansea, and will be heading to the game, although clearly without whatever travels perks the club are offering
A comfortable evening in the end. The so called Canos head butt was a joke as the Barnet man was actually hit and thrown to the ground by his own player – right in front of us in the paddock. And the way he rolled around as if he had been poll axed was shameful, I almost felt embarrassed for him as his acting was so poor! Onwards and upwards to Forest and hosting Villa. Due to work commitments I will be watching the Cup game in BBC Taff, what an experience that could be.
Right in front of me too, and it could be described as a football headbutt: the sort of contact that only the BBC calls a headbutt. Canos stuck his face into their guy who reacted defensively (Head back into shoulders and leant forward). I thought contact was made. But the fall happened a second or so afterward, it was good entertainment in itself, but the handbags/melee that followed was even better.
We really should have scored more, but so should Barnet. I am concerned that some of our defensive frailties are returning. And as an admirer of Josh Mc I was bitterly disappointed in his display
I accept he makes us a little slower, but his range of passing and vision matches and maybe even exceeds His Royal Romainness, but yesterday even simple passes went astray, and he looked very dispirited.
Still, just details. Fifth round beckons and we are creating chances galore. Worth the entry money, and that’s good enough for me.
Agree absolutely with Brighton Bee – I was in the paddock too and couldn’t believe how outrageous/crap it was: throwing your own man on the floor just as he was getting up from having dived there to start with. You couldn’t make it up!