Nev stars in game of drones
AND BEES HIT BY HEAD CLASH
HECTOR NUNNS
By at the Brentford Community Stadium JOAO MOUTINHO and Ruben Neves won a crazy match for Wolves that seemed like it would never end.
It was often hard to know where to look – to the skies, at the action, to the stadium clock, at the blood all over Mathias Jensen and Rico Henry, or sent-off Brentford boss Thomas Frank.
Ultimately this maddest of games was decided by Wolves scoring one more brilliant goal than Brentford, with Ivan Toney earlier levelling for the Bees.
But this was a contest uniquely disrupted by serious injury, rogue drones and even electronic communication issues for referee Peter Bankes.
First-half stoppage time totalled around 26 minutes – first for a horrible clash of heads between Brentford’s Henry and Jensen as they went for a Jose Sa clearance. And then when a drone was spotted flying over the pitch, the official took both sides back to the dressing rooms for another 19-minute break.
Problems with Bankes’ VAR communication device led to another five-minute delay before the second half – and a further seven minutes of stoppage time at the end made 38 minutes of delays in total.
For good measure there was a red card for Bees boss Frank at the end for haranguing the referee.
And earlier another red card was overturned for Wolves’ Toti Gomes after a VAR check.
In what could yet be his last game for Wolves, sub Adama Traore – being pursued by Tottenham – had a goal chalked off for offside by VAR at the death. Wolves
It was very difficult to stay focused with all the stops. I have never been involved in a club match with such delays
boss Bruno Lage said: “It was a very strange first half, and a hard situation with the first break for the two players injured and then the second one for the drone.
“In such breaks you can lose rhythm, and it was like that for both teams between the first one and second one.
“But after half-time we were better and scored a good goal. And then we came again after the equaliser.”
Frank said: “It was difficult to stay focused with all the stops.
“I have never been involved in a club match with such delays.
“It was a horrible collision with Rico and Matty, you could just see it about to happen. They are both good, Mathias is clear for concussion, Rico needs to be assessed in the next days. They were treated at the ground.
“At the end I was booked for a confrontation with a Wolves player.
Then I turned around to Peter and said, ‘You can give me a second one as well’. He said the second one was because I was too aggressive.
“I said to the players I want them to control their emotions and not get stupid cards, so I said sorry to them that I didn’t today.”
Three minutes into the second half Moutinho played a one-two with Nelson Semedo and with the outside of his right foot scored a wonderful goal.
Gomes got his reprieve for the foul on Kristoffer Ajer. But from the free-kick, Bryan Mbeumo found Toney who scored with a sumptuous volley.
But the visitors were soon ahead again, Moutinho this time teeing up Neves after 78 minutes, and he took a touch before brilliantly firing home.
There were scuffles after a clash between Sa and Toney, and then aggro after the final whistle – before everyone could finally go home.