Frank’s fired by Forss of nature
KOP MAGIC INSPIRES BEES VICTORY
THOMAS FRANK was the Bees’ knees after inspiring his comeback kings with a video of Liverpool’s Champions League miracle against Barcelona.
Marcus Forss’ decisive goal nine minutes from time booked Brentford a Wembley final.
Bees messiah Frank’s matinee from the Kop’s 4-0 demolition of Barca two years ago inspired Brentford as they reached their second Championship play-off final in as many years.
Frank took a lap of honour before kick-off to whip 4,300 fans into a frenzy, and he created the perfect storm on a breathless lunchtime by Kew Bridge.
Frank said: “Although this is an entertainment industry, it wasn’t really something I wanted to do and I was out of my comfort zone.
“There were only 4,000 here today but it felt like 40,000, and I can’t wait for us to play in front of a full stadium.
“We are not Liverpool, but I showed the players the video of that Barcelona game to remind them what is possible.”
In the end, goals from Ivan Toney, Vitaly Janelt and sub Forss did the trick as Brentford recovered from a calamitous start. But Bournemouth, streetwise and dripping with Premier League experience, somehow contrived to squander a two-goal lead in the tie after being gifted a dream start.
From Brentford’s first corner of match, Cameron CarterVickers cleared the
Cherries’ lines and – incredibly – the Bees left nobody back to cover the breakaway.
Arnaut Danjuma, whose winner had settled a tight first leg, could not believe his luck, picking up the ball 20 yards inside his own half and galloping clear to beat David Raya after five minutes.
“I smashed my foot against the ice cooler,” admitted Frank.
But the Bees were literally handed a lifeline by Lloyd Kelly 10 minutes later.
Referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot after Kelly had parried Emi Marcondes’ cross with two raised hands and top scorer Toney buried his 32nd goal of the season.
Toney and Cherries keeper Asmir Begovic
‘‘
I was out of my comfort zone. These games are often decided on the finest of margins. We got the top display we needed
were both booked for a tug-of-war over the ball in the aftermath.
Bournemouth suffered again when Chris Mepham was robbed by Bryan Mbeumo and he resorted to a rugby-style tap tackle to deny the French winger a clear run at goal. His red card was a formality.
That left Bournemouth more than an hour to negotiate with 10 men.
They cracked again five minutes after the break, Janelt’s 20-yard shot looping beyond Begovic and into the net.
And when Marcondes’ driven cross was met at near post by Forss, the Bees sub lifting his volley instinctively into the roof of the net nine minutes from time, there was no coming back.
Bournemouth boss Jonathan Woodgate, whose appointment was only until the end of the season, said: “I’m
absolutely devastated, and so are the players. It turned on a referee’s decision ( for the penalty) which I can’t work out, for the life of me, how he’s given it.
“That changed the game. Coming here with 11 men is hard enough, let alone 10. We dug in, but just couldn’t hang on to the end.”