BENRAHMA PUTS STING IN THE TAIL Bees joy at gutsy fightback
THOMAS Franks believes Brentford silenced the critics who have labelled his team weak by leaving Middlesbrough with a first win on Teesside since 1938.
The Bees won away from Griffin Park for the second time this season by coming from behind to beat Boro at the Riverside Stadium.
Brentford moved to within six points of the play-off zone with the victory after an own goal from Middlesbrough defender Ryan Shotton with 20 minutes remaining was followed by Said Benrahma’s winner three minutes later.
Middlesbrough had led since the sixth minute, courtesy of Ashley Fletcher’s second league goal of the campaign.
Franks said: “Sometimes stats don’t tell the whole story. We knew it was coming and it would be nice to get a win against one of the big teams and this was like a big win.
“It was about time. Boro are a top club and one of the best in England. We knew it would be difficult and we are very pleased with the way we did it. I am proud of the boys, they did very well.
“We are normally a ‘weak’ side, so all the experts say, but we were definitely not weak today. We showed real character.”
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis was disappointed with the performance of referee Jeremy Simpson for not giving any of three decent penalty shouts, while Fletcher could have headed in a second, too.
Pulis said: “We are disappointed, they are a good side, or four players would be in any team in this division. We got a great start, we should have had a definite penalty.
“I will go and see him (the referee), I don’t normally. He has booked Jonny Howson for diving and the lad has caught him. I don’t know how they get it so wrong sometimes.
“We should have had three definite penalties, at home you think you might get them, or at least one!”
Fletcher rewarded Pulis’s recent faith in him by scoring for a second home game in a row. The £6.5m former West Ham striker reacted first in the area to force the ball over the line after goalkeeper Daniel Bentley had spilled Mo Besic’s low drive from 20 yards.
Brentford then had the better of the chances. In fact they had the ball in the net twice and each occasion referee Jeremy Simpson ruled them out.
The first was deemed to be offside when Maupay headed in from eight yards, and then the striker was adjudged to have fouled George Saville moments before Sergi Cathree nos powered low into the net. Middlesbrough responded and came within inches of a second when Fletcher headed Shotton’s deep cross just wide.
But Shotton turned the ball into his own net at the other end when Henrik Dalsgaard was given the chance to shoot after Saville headed weakly away with 20 minutes to go.
Then Brentford took the lead. This time Dalsgaard, making the most of freedom down the right, teed up Benrahama in the box to strike it inside the bottom corner.