Baggies foiled by super Mac
SUBSTITUTE Lewis Macleod snatched an unlikely point for Brentford with a dramatic late header to punish West Brom’s poor finishing.
The sorry Bees looked set to slump to a seventh defeat in eight games since Dean Smith quit and left Thomas Frank in charge. But Macleod rescued a point in stoppage-time with a header from Emiliano Marcondes’ cross in front of 500 delighted away fans.
The equaliser came after Harvey Barnes scored for his eighth of the season in the 77th minute, with West Brom eventually made to pay for a series of misses from Jay Rodriguez and Hal RobsonKanu.
It made for a hugely frustrating night after Albion had dominated the first half and nearly took a third minute lead when Barnes got away down the left.
The on-loan Leicester star put over a superb cross with the outside of his right-foot that seemed a certain goal for Rodriguez sliding in at the back post.
But the striker, who has nine goals this term, was unable to keep down his effort, blazing over from three yards with goalkeeper Dan Bentley beaten.
Brentford struggled to recover from their poor start as the lively Ollie Watkins had a shot deflected wide. But Albion remained a threat on the flanks and Matt Phillips curled in a superb cross from the right that Robson-Kanu nearly diverted in.
The striker went even closer in the 27th minute with a header from Kieran Gibbs’ cross that he also steered wide. Robson-Kanu then missed another chance as he failed to connect from a rebound after Bentley had spilled Matt Phillips’ shot.
The woodwork came to the visitors’ aid in the 45th minute when Phillips unleashed a fierce right-foot shot from 30 yards.
Robson-Kanu’s miserable night ended at half-time when he was substituted after receiving treatment for a knee injury. After being on the back foot in the first half it was Brentford skipper Romaine Sawyers who had the first sight of goal in the second as he lashed over.
It then took a superb onehanded 66th-minute reaction save from Albion keeper Sam Johnstone to tip Marcondes’ side-foot around the post.
But West Brom continued to dominate possession and finally made the breakthrough when Barnes smashed in 13 minutes from time, giving Bentley no chance at the second attempt.
That strike looked to have proved the winner until Macleod rescued the Bees.
WEST BROM (4-4-2): Johnstone; Adarabioyo, Dawson, Hegazi, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore, Morrison, Barnes; Rodriguez, Robson-Kanu (Gayle 45). Goal: Barnes 77.
BRENTFORD (4-1-4-1): Bentley; Dalsgaard, Konsa, Mepham, Henry (Odubajo 64); McEachran (MacLeod 83); Watkins (Benrahma 78), Marcondes, Sawyers, Judge; Maupay. Booked: Dalsgaard, Konsa. Goal: Macleod 90.
Referee: D Bond (Lancashire).