BRENTFORD PRESTON
OLLIE WATKINS was the Bees’ knees again as Brentford closed to within a point of the top two.
If West Brom can bear to look in the rear view mirror, they will see Thomas Frank’s coveted BMW coming up rapidly towards the automatic promotion spots.
While the Baggies are lurching towards the chequered flag, Brentford’s 57-goal front three – Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Watkins – look unstoppable.
Eight consecutive wins, with Watkins leading the Championship’s scoring charts, speaks for itself.
Preston gave it a good go and home keeper David Raya needed to make a flying save to keep out Darnell Fisher’s thunderous freekick, but defeat largely ended their play-off hopes.
Brentford are now within touching distance of a dream farewell to Griffin Park after 116 years next week and christening their new stadium at Kew Bridge as a Premier League club.
Buoyant boss Frank even dared to dream of the prospect afterwards, saying: “We are already in the playoffs, so why not give it a shot for direct promotion? Eight wins in a
row – I think only Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have done that, and they are quite big clubs.
“In a division they call the most even league in the world, that is quite remarkable.
“We are on a high and if we can make it nine in a row, it would be even more remarkable.”
Frank had praise for Watkins, who has matched Neal Maupay’s 25 goals last season before the French striker was sold to Brighton.
He added: “It’s a statement that I produce 25-goal strikers each season – only kidding. Ollie deserves all the praise because he is a joy to work with.”
Watkins needed just four minutes to go ahead of Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic in the race for the Golden Boot. Emiliano Marcondes supplied the exquisite pass and Watkins snapped the chance to register his 25th goal of the season.
Preston boss Alex Neil refused to give up on a play-off spot, insisting: “If it goes down to the last one, and results go our way, then great.”