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 
The good, the bad and the ugly. Marcello Trotta returns, refs get tough, Bees buzzing and a new lucky omen? The week in social media.
31 OctBrentford recorded that marvellous 2-0 win at Loftus Road knowing that three points against Fulham on Friday night will move us into the play-off places. That said, one can’t fail to have noticed long time pacesetters Huddersfield go down 5-0 at the Cottage on Saturday – could things be tougher for the Bees this time around? That result was one mirrored at Brighton where Norwich City were obliterated whilst Newcastle stay top after easing past Preston by the odd goal in three. At the bottom (copy/paste) it is still Wigan, Blackburn and Rotherham who make up the final three although a late winner for The Latics has also dragged Cardiff City towards the relegation places.
That’s the latest Championship action in nutshell. Yet there has been so much more going on in the division and beyond. In the latest edition of our regular, weekly feature we look back at those things you might have missed from the world of social media. That said, there’s only one place to start – the last fall out from the victory at QPR. It was a victory that their fans haven’t taken too well – these just two of the many.
From the Brentford perspective, fans, players and club staff were in high spirits going in to the weekend. With even ‘official’ now joining in the with their own social media round up (welcome to the party) , you may have seen some of these already. But, as is noted, some things can be viewed again and again…..
One final thought from the QPR game. Good omens. Regular readers to these pages may be familiar with comments about a lucky shirt (black, third, 2015/16, this year) or magic pants (spiderman) but it seems there is something that transcends all of these. Or, should I say, someone…
The legend that is Marcus Gayle. Specifically, when he is sitting alongside Mark Burridge in the Beesplayer commentary box.
That’s some record. Having been present for Ipswich, Forest, Preston and QPR our commentator par-excellence has shared the great news that Marcus is back on Friday night. Brentford have already made it 10 points from a possible 12 against Fulham in the last two seasons. Could his presence be the final inspiration for 13 from 15?
Four wins but on the other hand, I’m sure it’s bigger than that
One final piece of Brentford feed refers back to the scandal revealed earlier in the week – namely that of Barnsley claiming victory in the half-time mascot race between Toby Tyke, Buzz and Buzzette. Whilst ‘official’ are yet to make any statement on the club site, as ever Twitter is the place to be where a voice from the club marketing team has made itself heard…..
Ok. Marcello Trotta. We know what happened. Everybody has seen ‘that penalty’ Haven’t we? Oddly, most YouTube footage seems to have removed the ‘tussle’ between him and King Kev that preceded the eventual outcome although this fan shot efforts still captures it in part.
It still doesn’t get any easier viewing
So guess what happened when his Crotone side came up against Chievo in Italy’s Serie A at the weekend. Yes, another penalty and another…well, you see what happened.
That said, despite the painful reminder an afternoon we’ll never forget he did manage to put this one away.
Elsewhere in football……
Let’s hope armchair viewers have a thing for Leeds united in the coming weeks:
Much to the disgust of his fellow supporters, man brings ‘cat’ to a football match….
Referee, Mike Dean, has a very unusual pre-match habit….
Whilst another sounds off a warning to any young players who may want to mess around on pitch…
And it seems this is a global crackdown. As if showboating was bad enough, don’t think ’twerking’ is exempt either. I’ll leave you with this attempt from former Norwich City player Kei Kamara to channel his inner Miley….
Nick Bruzon
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