Owls swoop late to stun Bees
CARLOS Carvalhal believes his Sheffield Wednesday side represent the best of the Steel City’s working-class values after snatching a late point at Griffin Park.
Lasse Vibe was sent off late on but he put the home side ahead early in the second half when he capitalised on some sloppy goalkeeping by Keiren Westwood.
The visitors were also reduced to ten men when David Jones was sent off but they salvaged a point in the dying embers when Sam Hutchinson headed home.
“We were the better team and created enough chances to win, especially in the first half, so if you ask me if I am happy I shall say no,” said Owls boss Carvalhal.
“Last season we had a similar situation when we dominated and lost to Burnley and this match was the same.
“But we showed our heart and soul and I know we will do again in the future. We are a Sheffield team, we are workers and must fight in this league. I was pleased with this desire even though we didn’t win.”
The visitors looked more likely to score in the opening exchanges. Barry Bannan found space in the 13th minute and his cross split the Brentford defence to find the onrushing Daniel Pudil.
But once Pudil controlled the ball his fierce effort flashed across the face of goal agonisingly wide.
Tom Lees then had a goalbound effort cleared off the line after 24 minutes.
A perfect delivery by Jones found Lees who connected sweetly but the covering Nico Yennaris cleared the danger.
Miscommunication then nearly cost Brentford just after the half-an-hour mark. Yennaris tried to head Lucas Joao’s cross back to Daniel Bentley but he misjudged it and the goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to spare embarrassment.
After a frenzied first half Brentford regrouped and were ahead in the 54th minute.
Westwood was caught dawdling in possession and was chased down by Vibe and his clearance subsequently rebounded off the Danish striker and trickled across the line.
Wednesday were reduced to ten men after 72 minutes when Jones was sent off after picking up his second yellow card. He was booked for a sloppy challenge ten minutes earlier and then collected another for dissent.
The Owls pressed but struggled to find an opening before Vibe was also dismissed. The striker made a rash challenge on 40 minutes and then scythed down Fernando Forestieri.
But the Owls snatched a point in injury time when Hutchinson rose highest to connect with Bannan’s free-kick and headed powerfully into the top-left corner of the goal.
“When you play against a good team like Sheffield Wednesday you have to hang in there a bit, they have good players and knock the ball around very well,” admitted Brentford boss Dean Smith.
“I think in the fist half we showed them a little bit too much respect.
“So we said at half-time we wanted to get in their faces a bit more and put them under pressure.
“We didn’t want to sit back deep but they have good players and forced us to in a sense.
“On balance I feel like it was probably a fair result given their first-half performance.”