Keepers caught out in late goal rush
BRENTFORD continued their climb up the Championship on a night both goalkeepers will want to forget.
The Bees moved to within three points of the play-offs thanks to goals from Neal Maupay, Yoann Barbet and a late Ryan Woods effort with United’s consolation coming from from Ezgjan Alioski.
But it was a series of goalkeeping howlers that were the talking point, with both Brentford’s Daniel Bentley and Leeds’ Andy Lonergan at fault for three of the goals.
Lonergan gifted the hosts the lead midway through the first half when he dropped Barbet’s cross from the left on to the head of Maupay, who gratefully nodded into the empty goal.
But Bentley let the visitors back into it with an almost carbon copy blunder when he lost a high ball in the air and dropped it into the path of Alioski, who nodded home from almost the same spot.
The Londoners regained the lead with five minutes remaining when Barbet’s low angled free-kick found its way past the hapless Lonergan.
And they gave the scoreline a more realistic feel when Kamohelo Mokotjo fed Woods on the edge of the box for the Bees midfielder to give Lonergan no chance with a sidefooted piledriver.
Brentford could have made life easier for themselves minutes before the break when Pontus Jansson slid in late on Maupay in the box and referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot.
But Ollie Watkins blazed over to the relief of the Leeds fans behind the goal – who threw debris on to the pitch as the kick was taken.
The Londoners dominated possession in an absorbing first half and could have taken the lead inside 60 seconds but Watkins saw his goalbound header cleared on the line.
Barbet curled a free-kick inches over before Watkins’ angled drive forced a fingertip save from Lonergan.
Leeds’ only real effort of note came after 38 minutes when Pierre-Michel Lasogga got behind the home defence but his lob over Bentley was way too strong.