Forest Felled

Saturday 29th April 2023: Premier League: Gtech Community Stadium: Brentford vs Nottingham Forest

Following Brentford over the past few months has been a trying endeavour. Lacklustre performances and a run, since the hard fought derby win, that had seen them win just between 6th March and 26th April have made it difficult for me to get excited about the long journeys I take to watch them play.

It hardly helps matters that their singular win in that period came against a bottom-dwelling Southampton team destined for the drop. Even then the Saints could have been well and truly out of sight before half time if they possessed the services of a half decent striker.

The Villa game last weekend signalled a turning point in the hosts season though as they were back to their buzzing best against Villa, only to concede an 88th minute equaliser that denied them all 3 points. The green shoots of recovery continued midweek at Stamford Bridge though as they secured a 2-0 victory over their stuttering hosts with just 1 shot on target.

Unfortunately for the Bees, Nottingham Forrest have also shown a startling up-turn in form in the past 7 days. First they equalised twice at Anfield to push their rejuvenated hosts all the way before finally succumbing to a late Salah winner.

They followed that excellent performance with another in mid-week as Brighton were ripped apart at the City Ground as Forest secured their first win since 5thh Feb, to haul themselves out of the relegation zone.

So what we had then was two teams finally turning around dreadful run of recent form and looking to build momentum for the crucial run-in. The hosts trying to keep hopes of going on a European tour next season alive; the visitors hoping to keep themselves outside the drop zone and relegation to the second tier. A true showdown in the making

When the game got underway it was no showdown at all as the Bees ripped into their visitors. Forest were content to soak up the pressure and hit the hosts on the break as they had decided this was the way to secure the points they are desperate for to avoid an instant return to the Championship.

Brentford poured forward to try and take early advantage of the visitor’s stand-off approach and were soon launching wave after wave of attacks on the Forest goal. Rico Henry was having particular joy down his flank, but his crosses frequently failed to find a teammate.

Forest were defending expertly as a group and it was one the break that they were the first team to conjure up a clear cut chance. A surge down the left by Orel Mangala provided space for a cross into the centre and David Raya had to be at his most alert to snaffle the ball off the toes of Brennan Johnson, lurking with intent at the back post.

That chance aside it was the hosts making most of the early running and they were unlucky not to take the lead after 12minutes. Toney fashioned a pocket of space on the edge of the box but, rather than powering his shot either side of Keylor Navas, he punted the ball straight down the keeper’s throat.

Despite their dominance of both possession and territory throughout the first half the hosts were unable to properly test Navas before half-time, a Kevin Shade header into his gloves from a free kick into the mixer being the closest they would come to breaking through.

In the single minute of injury time Forest would punish them for their profligacy. Their breaks had already been causing the hosts issues, with Rico Henry entering the Ref’s book for cynically cutting one out on the half hour mark.

When one of these breaks landed them a throw in deep in Bee’s territory they chucked it into the centre. Chaos ensued in the hosts backline and when the ball landed at the feet of Danilo and the birthday boy didn’t need asking twice to rifle it home past a statuesque Raya.

To see a Forest team that had been outplayed so exquisitely all half land the perfect sucker punch with the last kick of the half was a huge kick in the proverbials for every single home fan. The atmosphere that had been building throughout the first half was sucked out of the stadium faster than air out of a punctured space suit.

The conspicuous absence of half-time changes by Thomas Frank underlined his faith in his team’s ability to turn things around. It would take a long time and the full quota of substitutions for his faith to be rewarded.

Despite his team leading it was Steve Cooper who blinked first, replacing Taiwo Awoniyi with Andre Ayew in the 9th minute of the half. Ayew would be on the pitch all of 90 seconds before collecting a yellow card.

This distruption to the visitor’s personnel appeared to unsettle them and the hosts really should have equalised before the hour mark. A brilliant through ball set Shade free on the left. He looked up to see Mbuemo sprinting into the box and slid the ball into where his stride should have ended up for a simple side foot finish. Unfortunately, by the time the ball arrived in this perfect position Mbuemo has checked his run in anticipation of a cut back to be swept home from the penalty spot.

The lack of other attackers following up to capitalise on the chance was the catalyst for Frank to go full send with a gung-ho double substitution on the hour mark. Rico Henry, a full-back and Damsgaard, a box-to-box midfielder, were replaced by Yoanne Wissa, an out and out attacker and Josh DaSilva, an attacking midfielder capable of moments of magic and sensational finishes from distance.

When this double hadn’t born fruit ten minutes later Mr. Frank banked on three subs in five minutes. It would take till the game had ticked over into it’s final ten, with Forest having made a further two subs to clog up their quota of three substitution windows in the half, for this flurry of subs to finally pay dividends.

Before the long awaited equaliser arrived Ben Mee went for a shot at immortality with a spectacular bicycle kick from 12 yards out that peeled the paint off the bar as it whistled over the top.

What happened next was insane. Forest conceded a freekick 26 yards from goal in line with the right hand post. Toney hovered over it before threading the ball through the wall and into the only area where Navas’ palm could do nothing to keep it out.

The keeper could only watch on in horror as his shove round the post smashed into the post instead and sent the ball careening into the back of the net. Cue bedlam.

My fellow home fans and I exploded in pure unbridled ecstasy at this late reprieve. Little did we know things were about to get even better.

Having given Forest the lead Danilo was forced to limp off with a leg injury in the last few minutes, leaving the visitors a man light till the final whistle. Whilst it’s never nice to see any player go off injured, it’s a lovely feeling to realise they can’t be replaced and your team will now have the advantage for the remainder of the match. Even better when the 4th official flashes up Seven minutes of injury time.

Brentford are known for ending games well and so they proved to be again here.

In the 94th minute DaSilva found the ball at his feet wide on the right, cut inside into the box and let rip from 17 yards. His spectacular shot smashed into the bottom corner. Navas’ despairing dive arriving milliseconds too late to deny the hosts a winner they thoroughly deserved.

We even got to celebrate the winner twice after a prolonged VAR check for offside. A grandstand finish to the match ending in best way possible.

COME ON BRENTFORD!!!

The confidence boost of this comeback victory, on the back of the midweek win at Stamford Bridge is the perfect preparation for their next game – a visit to Anfield to take on a resurgent Liverpool team on Coronation day.

I grew up a confirmed royalist, but I have also wanted to attend a competitive match at Anfield for as long as I can remember. Faced with this difficult decision football won.

I will be spending coronation day watching the team I love and have a season ticket for taking on my boyhood team on their home patch. COME ON BRENTFORD!