SMITH RAGING AT BEES MELTDOWN
Defensive errors are plaguing Brentford
FRUSTRATION reigned at Griffin Park as Brentford manager Dean Smith lamented his side’s inability to stop conceding simple goals.
Nico Yennaris put the home side ahead before a double from Lewis Grabban and a Daniel Bentley own goal – pushing the ball into his own net from a corner – put Sunderland up at half-time.
Florian Jozefzoon and Neal Maupay hit back to earn Brentford a point, but their efforts could not quell the anger of Smith.
“I’m not sure how to feel after the game. I think I’m still angry,” he said. “I was angry at half-time and probably a little bit angry now because I didn’t think we played well.
“We’ve given the opposition three goals. You have to earn the right in this league and you can’t give chances away like we did for their three goals.
“I can’t remember them creating chances apart from the chances we’ve given them.
“Dan is man enough to admit that he should do better there. I can’t remember him making a save apart from the goals they scored.”
The hosts went ahead after just seven minutes as Yennaris reacted quickest to pass the ball into an empty net after Jozefzoon had hit the post.
But Sunderland were level five minutes later as a Bryan Oviedo through-ball sliced open the Bees defence and Grabban kept his cool to find the bottom right corner.
And Oviedo turned provider again, this time for the unfortunate Bentley who pushed the ball into his own net from a corner – going from hero to villain in the space of a week after his late penalty save against Millwall last Saturday.
Then, in first-half stoppage time, Duncan Watmore turned three Brentford defenders and raced down the right-hand side, only to be pulled back by Ryan Woods just inside the area.
Darren England awarded a penalty and Grabban sidefooted the ball home for his second of the game.
Shortly after the interval Brentford won a free-kick when Didier Ndong fouled Ollie Watkins on the edge of the area.
And Jozefzoon stepped up to fire the ball in to the top right- hand corner, giving the home crowd fresh hope.
The visitors dropped deeper and deeper as the game went on and Brentford were rewarded when Maupay came off the bench to level the scores at 3-3 with a deflected effort.
The substitute then could, and perhaps should, have won the game but saw his header saved well by Jason Steele.
And with Sunderland still languishing in the relegation zone, three points from safety, manager Simon Grayson was also frustrated by the result.
“We played quite well, so to not win the game is disappointing,” he said. “It was one of those games where there were a few mistakes, difficult conditions and we played against a good team who are on a decent run.
“Would we have taken that before the game? Probably. But ultimately when you’re in that position you want to do what you can to go and win it.
“The goal on half-time was a bit of a body blow for us but it didn’t affect us too much in terms of them dominating the game.
“I think our defenders defended well. The shape of the team was quite good, but there are other factors that contributed to the result.”