FRANK’S HIGH-FIVE
‘IT WAS CRUCIAL WE PUT IN A TOP PERFORMANCE’
BRENTFORD answered boss Thomas Frank’s call for a more ruthless approach with a fivegoal show.
After four successive draws the Bees boss was worried his side had lost their sting, wrecking any chance of automatic promotion.
But they never let up and in the end secured their biggest away victory in the Championship this season.
Frank said: “It was very important to put in a top performance today. We were able to create many chances and be very dangerous going forward.
“I think it’s all about us to perform well again next week to get a little bit of momentum.
“It’s not mind games but it’s now Watford’s to lose ( for second place). I mean that.” It took just nine minutes for Bryan Mbeumo to rediscover his scoring touch.
The Frenchman, one of the famed forward line which also included Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, struck 16 goals last season. This time with the pair off to new pastures he has been restricted to just four before arriving at Deepdale.
But there was no hesitation when Mads Roerslev sent in an inviting cross, Mbeumo rifling his effort past Daniel Iversen.
It was 2-0 after 26 minutes. Again wing-back Roerslev finding Marcus Forss free inside the area and his clinical finish was too good for Iversen.
Preston’s interim boss Frankie McAvoy said:
“Brentford showed their quality in the final third. We tried to get back into the game at 2-0 down and were too gung ho. It backfired on us.”
The Bees finished with a flourish. Tarique Fosu chipped over for Ivan Toney to help himself to a 29th goal of the season.
Substitute Sergi Canos made it 4-0 then Toney turned provider for another substitute, Emiliano Marcondes, who completed the rout.
PRESTON: Iversen 6; Lindsay 6 (Browne 52, 6), Storey 6, Hughes 6; Van Den Berg 6, Whiteman 5 (Molumby 76), Ledson 5, Barkhuizen 6; Potts 5 (Gordon 52, 6); Riis 5 (Sinclair 52, 6), Evans 6 (Bodin 76).
Unused subs: Hudson, Bayliss, Moult, Huntington.
BRENTFORD: Raya 6; Jansson 7, Norgaard 7, Pinnock 7; Roerslev 8 (Stevens 86), Fosu 7 (Reid 78), Jensen 7 (Marcondes 83), Mbeumo 7; Forss 7 (Canos 78), Janelt 7 (Bidstrup 83), Toney 7.
Unused subs: Daniels, Goode, Ghoddos, Sorensen.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mads Roerslev. The Danish Under-21 international made two goals and was a constant threat down the right flank.
REFEREE: Tony Harrington 7.