BEES STING LATE IN SURREAL HALF
Smith’s anger at ref show
BRENTFORD boss Dean Smith blasted referee Geoff Eltringham after his side’s injury-time draw with Reading for “throwing cards around like confetti” in a surreal second half.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a game like that where 10 minutes have been added on and an air ambulance hasn’t arrived,” he said.
“They came and slowed the game down and were allowed to do it by the referee who booked no one in the first half and then threw cards around like confetti in the second.”
Bees defender Yoann Barbet spared his goalkeeper Daniel Bentley’s blushes with an injury-time equaliser, after Said Benrahma saw red for a second bookable offence.
His late header cancelled out strikes from Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and John Swift – both the result of fumbles by Bentley – after Neal Maupay had given the hosts the advantage.
Smith said: “It’s a game I’ll really struggle to explain. I just can’t see how we had six yellow cards to their one.”
Reading started brightly and could have taken the lead, but Bodvarsson’s glancing header was cleared off the line by Bees defender Henrik Dalsgaard.
Brentford opened the scoring after 11 minutes, when top scorer Maupay coolly slotted home from close range after Benrahma’s drilled low cross.
Ollie Watkins came close to making it two midway through the half when he brought down Dalsgaard’s cross at the far post with his first touch, but guided the ball just wide. Reading rallied and levelled after 26 minutes when Bentley could only parry Swift’s dipping drive into the path of Bodvarsson, who tapped home.
The visitors took the lead just after the hour mark, when Swift’s dipping free-kick was fluffed by Bentley under his bar and crept over the line.
After seizing the advantage Reading dropped even deeper and broke the game up with a series of time-wasting tactics that incensed the Griffin Park crowd and saw Eltringham add on an extra 10 minutes.
Maupay flashed a header against a post and saw a snapshot from the edge of the box whistle just past an upright as Brentford battled to get a foothold in the game.
It eventually came to the relief of the home fans when Dalsgaard flicked on a nearpost corner and Barbet rose to head home from almost on the line.
Royals boss Paul Clement dismissed Smith’s criticism of his side’s stalling tactics.
He said: “Sorry Dean. What would you like us to do? Roll over and let you play? My job is to get the best for my players and my team. If the ref thinks people are wasting time then it’s his responsibility to caution that player
“I thought it was a really good game with a lot passion and energy from both sets of players and supporters.”
He said he was disappointed not to hold on for the win.
“Going down to 10 didn’t hurt Brentford. They pushed on and got going but I thought my lads gave a lot to get the right result here,” he added.