Brentford dished out a 5-1 pasting to Hull City at Griffin Park
BRENTFORD head coach Thomas Frank hailed Said Benrahma as his “Algerian magician” after the Bees winger tore Hull apart with a devastating hat-trick.
Benrahma’s goals helped the home side come from behind to outclass a sorry Hull at Griffin Park.
Top scorer Neal Maupay and Kamohelo Mokotjo were also on target to cancel out Fraizer Campbell’s 24th-minute opener.
“When he plays like that he is a joy to watch. He’s exciting every time he gets the ball because he can create something out of nothing. It is like magic and very few teams in this league have that,” said Frank.
“His finishing has got better and better, but his assists are also incredible. His run and pass for Kamohelo Mokotjo made that the most beautiful goal of the day for me. He is growing more and more composed and when he runs at defences he is terrifying because he can go left or right.”
Campbell rose unmarked in the box to power home Kamil Grosicki’s left-wing cross from the left after 24 minutes as Brentford made a sluggish start.
But the goal sparked the Bees into life and they hit back within five minutes when Mokotjo passed into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box after a quick turn and pass from Benrahma.
The Algerian winger had the ball on a string and put the hosts ahead just after the half-hour with a mercurial dribble past three Tigers defenders that ended with a cultured curled finish into the top corner.
Hull were rocking and it was no surprise when the Londoners extended their lead. Top scorer Maupay squared from the byline for Benrahma to clip the ball past the keeper.
Brentford made it four after the interval, Ollie Watkins bursting clear down the right only to see his shot blocked by Marshall, before he headed back across goal for Maupay to tap home. Benrahma claimed the match ball with another superb finish with nine minutes remaining when he curled the ball nonchalantly into the top corner.
It all looked so unlikely for Frank’s side for the first 25 minutes as Hull ran riot and dominated the midfield, winning every first and second ball.
But it was all Brentford from then on and Maupay and Yoann Barbet had chances to add to the scoreline in the second half, only point-blank saves from half-time substitute keeper George Long keeping the rampant Bees at bay.
Hull boss Nigel Adkins said the only positives he could draw from the rout was the opening minutes of both halves.
“We knew their front three are very dangerous and wanted to be aggressive, and we scored an excellent first goal,” he said. “But then we allowed them to get back in game and our midfield did not track and we go in at 3-1 down disappointed with the manner of the goals we conceded.
“We have to reflect. I have players who work very hard ... this will be a good learning lesson.”