Frank’s call answered as Bees bounce back

ON a bitterly cold day in west London, it was an afternoon for home comforts as Brentford returned to winning ways to stay in the top half of the table.

Two goals in seven minutes from Neal Maupay and Ben Mee after the break gave Thomas Frank’s men the advantage and despite Jacob Brown pulling one back with 14 minutes to go, Shandon Baptiste secured the three points.

‘I’m very pleased. I asked for focus, discipline and mentality and the players gave it,’ said Frank.

Fourteen years ago this was a League Two fixture and from the outset it was clear which side had been in the Premier League longer as Brentford dominated and Luton failed to touch the ball in the opposition box in the first half.

The visitors defended well early on, but the loss of captain Tom Lockyer at the break proved crucial. ‘We’re disappointed but Brentford deserved to win. We gave away a few early Christmas presents in the second half,’ said Luton boss Rob Edwards.

Frank initially made one change from the team that lost to Arsenal, with Maupay back in the line-up to replace Saman Ghoddos as Brentford shifted from a 5-3-2 formation to a 4-3-3.

But when Kristoffer Ajer injured his foot in the warm-up, Ghoddos came back into the team. For Luton, Edwards made two changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace, Alfie Doughty missing out with a hip injury and Andros Townsend benched as Issa Kabore and Tahith Chong came in.

The first shot came after 27 minutes and when Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski was booked for time-wasting in the 37th minute, it told the story of a dire first half.

Despite having just 23 per cent of possession, Edwards would have been pleased with the way his team’s structure limited

OPENING SALVO: Neal Maupay’s goal put Brentford on the road to victory

Brentford’s chances to efforts from outside the box.

After Lockyer was replaced, Luton’s concerns deepened just four minutes into the second half when Brentford made a deserved breakthrough. Chong gave away the ball cheaply and Yoanne Wissa crossed to Ben Mee, whose scuffed effort hit Amari’i Bell. But Maupay was on hand to finish the rebound.

Eight minutes later, Mee was involved again as he met a cross from Bryan Mbeumo with a towering header that deflected in off Carlton Morris.

Luton had to let loose and Ross Barkley led a counter-attack before playing in Brown, who cut inside and finished past Mark Flecken to set up a nervy finish.

But Brentford’s two substitutes, Keane Lewis-Potter and Baptiste, combined to restore their advantage. Lewis-Potter did brilliantly to work an opening and Baptiste was on hand to finish.

After two defeats on the trot, it was a welcome three points for Frank and his team.