Brentford are in to the fourth round of the FA Cup. A 4-1 defeat of Port Vale on Saturday afternoon was as notable for the return of Kris Ajer as it was a second half hat-trick for Bryan Mbeumo. Or Boomoo as Match of the Day insist on calling him still. Come on the media team, have a word. It was all the more impressive given he only came onto the pitch in the heart of the 60-70 sub zone but the game turned from there. With no apparent injuries it means we can get back to Premier League business, and those trips to Southampton and Liverpool, in good spirits. Before that though, there’s the fourth round draw which takes place on Sunday afternoon after the clash between West Ham and Leeds (kick off 2pm). The Bees are ball number 19 in that one. Cambridge United at 26 amongst the clubs looking to cause another following their own humiliation of Newcastle United. Oh, Eddie Howe. You can do it at Bournemouth but what about on a miserable afternoon in the North-East?
Tough luck. That’s their issue. For Brentford, safe progression was as much as one could have hoped for. Target achieved. We don’t do match reports on these pages and even less so today, given this ‘plastic prem fan’ was following the game from the comfort of the sofa. More wine please? Don’t mind if I do.
Sadly, with the post Christmas budget thinner than the Liverpool squad before a league cup semi something had to give. And it was the trip to Vale Park. Kudos to all those who made it. For a supporter who has been following Brentford for over forty years, it was a game too far. This time.
I know I wasn’t alone but the showing from those who could make the trip was hugely impressive. The MOTD cameras at least showing how well we had travelled. Top, top work all round. Even if, as one North Stand observer put it to me , “You should only have to go to Stoke once in a lifetime.”
The highlights for this one are up c/o the BBC . You can see these below.
Watch the lung busting pace of Bryan Boomoo (sic) and an impressive performance from Mads Bidstrup in the middle. If my maths are correct, the arrival of Roerslev for Ajer meant we had all three Mads on the pitch for the final half hour. A curio not seen (probably – although I’ll defer to Jonathan Burchill here) since the three Keiths team back in 1989. Branagan, Millen and Jones, for the record.
Have we ever gone four? Over to you, Jonathan.
The other FA Cup news is, of course, the draw. With 32 names (subject to those last ties) being left there is still the potential for potato skins and tricky away trips. The absence of any replays thanks to the Covid related fixture pile up something that I am sure will now remain in place forever and which has one advantage in giving the draw a cleaner look. Gone will be those ‘or’ or ‘or’ versus ‘or’ or ‘or’ permutations which have become a familiar thing in recent years. Meaning it should be much easier for the BBC and ITV to fight over who wants to show Manchester United at home next time out.
As noted, that draw takes place this afternoon. The FA website say it will be at approximately 4.50pm. Presumably to allow for the possibility of the West Ham – Leeds game going to extra time and penalties. That is, of course, assuming the visitors don’t fall apart. Again. You can watch this on ITV . The meat in a sandwich completed by their coverage of Nottingham Forest – Arsenal.
For me, Clive, very much a case of an afternoon on the sofa. Not for the first time this weekend. Then we’ll be swapping couch for coach and getting back on the midweek road. Bring it on and see you there.
Until then, here are those big money balls………
1 Boreham Wood
2 AFC Bournemouth
3 Stoke City/Leyton Orient
4 Southampton
5 Chelsea
6 Liverpool / Shrewsbury Town
7 Cardiff City / Preston North End
8 Coventry City
9 Huddersfield Town
10 Brighton & Hove Albion
11 Kidderminster Harriers
12 Leicester City
13 Middlesbrough
14 Hartlepool United
15 Everton
16 Fulham
17 Tottenham Hotspur / Morecambe
18 Crystal Palace
19 Brentford
20 Manchester City
21 Wigan Athletic
22 Luton Town / Harrogate Town
23 Plymouth Argyle
24 Manchester United / Aston Villa
25 Wolverhampton Wanderers / Sheffield United
26 Cambridge United
27 Barnsley
28 Peterborough United
29 West Ham United / Leeds United
30 Queens Park Rangers
31 Charlton Athletic / Norwich City
32 Nottingham Forest / Arsenal
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 