Bees off to a flying start
A SLOW start cost Brentford last season but goals by Neal Maupay and Ollie Watkins moved them into fourth place in the Championship yesterday.
Sheffield Wednesday were swept away by a display of attacking energy led by Maupay and Watkins.
Last term, Brentford earned just two points in August and did not win until their eighth game on September 23.
By then they were 11 points off the play-off places. Come May, they finished six points away.
Manager Dean Smith is adamant that his side now boast the one commodity they were lacking: experience.
Smith said: “It could have been a more emphatic scoreline. I thought we were the aggressors throughout and thoroughly deserved the win.
“We didn’t do anything different in pre-season to last season but for the likes of Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay, it was their first taste of the Championship. They now have a season’s experience. There is
BRENTFORD SHEFFIELD WED
lots of potential in the squad and they are showing it now.”
Watkins gave Wednesday full-back Ash Baker, 21, a torrid time but it was veteran Sam Hutchinson who gifted Brentford a penalty in the 20th minute.
Hutchinson pulled back Lewis Macleod unnecessarily and Maupay sent Cameron Dawson the wrong way.
The second half was one-way traffic and Watkins sealed victory in the 61st minute. Maupay raced clear and as he tried to go round Dawson, the ball sprang out for Watkins to fire home.
Barry Bannan was brilliant throughout for the Owls but he cannot do it all on his own. He deserves better.
At least Wednesday boss Jos Luhukay did not offer excuses.
“It’s not nice how we played. Our focus wasn’t 100 per cent,” he said. “We finished last season so strongly but the last few weeks have been a step back.”