Maupay earns Bees a point to deny Cats

Brentford fought back from 3-1 down at half time to salvage a point in a sixgoal thriller with strugglers Sunderland at Griffin Park.

Lewis Grabban’s first half brace, either side of a Daniel Bentley own-goal, was not enough to clinch a second win of the campaign as Nico Yennaris, Florian Jozefzoon and Neal Maupay ensured the points were shared.

The hosts were ahead inside eight minutes, with former Arsenal trainee Yennaris slotting home from close range after Jozefzoon’s shot came back off a post following a defence-splitting Romaine Sawyers through ball.

But Sunderland hit back within five minutes when a speculative long ball caught the Bees defence square and Grabban ran on to draw keeper Bentley and coolly slide home from the angle.

The Black Cats took the lead five minutes before the break when Bentley misjudged Bryan Oviedo’s corner and he could only watch in horror as his palmed clearance dropped into the net.

The visitors raced into a 3-1 half-time lead when Duncan Whatmore charged clear and was sent tumbling in the box by Ryan Woods, Grabban stepping up to blast home the penalty.

But the hosts gave themselves hope two minutes after the restart when Jozefzoon curled home a superb free-kick up and over the wall from the edge of the area.

And the comeback was complete 12 minutes from time when Dutchman Jozefzoon’s goalbound drive was deflected in by Neal Maupay, completely

Brentford’s Nico Yennaris holds off Aiden McGeady of Sunderland wrong-footing Jason Steele in the Sunderland goal.

The equaliser rocked the visitors back on their heels as Dean Smith’s side surged forward in search of the winner, Steele pulling off routine saves to deny a Josh McEachran drive and a Maupay header.

The swirling wind played a major part in the game, with Sunderland happy to fire long ball towards the lively duo of former Brentford loanee Grabban and winger Whatmore.

Brentford, unbeaten in six, had skipper John Egan to thank before the break when he headed a Watmore drive clear, before Josh Clarke raced up the other end and brought a full-stretch save from Steele.

After the break it was always Brentford, with the wind at their backs, who looked the more likely to score as Sunderland dropped deeper to protect their slender lead.

But the direct running of Watmore was always a danger on the break, and Sunderland manager Simon Grayson braved the visiting fans’ boos when he withdrew him in the dying stages.

Winger Aiden McGeady had probably the north east side’s only worthwhile second-half effort on goal just after the hour mark, when he turned Henrik Dalsgaard inside out only to flash a low drive into the side netting.

But once again the Griffin Park faithful were far from happy with the referee, who made no allowances for the difficult conditions with a string of inconsistent decisions.