Capital gain for Latics

Photo: Max Flego

WELL DONE MATE: Dale Stephens is congratulated for scoring the third goal.

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Brentford 1, Athletic 3

THEY SAY defending is an art.

The best protagonists play with deceptive elegance, putting a subtle foot in here and organising their fellow men there to form a steady and solid barrier.

There was very little of this in evidence at Brentford.

If the defending in this game was a painting, it was very much a Jackson Pollock: certainly too abstract for the taste of many, not least Athletic manager Paul Dickov and his opposite number Andy Scott.

Particularly in the first half, both sides struggled to get a handle on the most elementary of opposition attacks.

A simple long ball from back to front — as was the case with Brentford’s opening goal — was enough to create a scoring opportunity in a match festooned with pops at the target.

But after falling behind to Myles Weston’s fourth-minute strike, Athletic attacked with purpose and bounced back to record a mightily impressive win — the team’s first ever at this famous old ground.

Chris Taylor was the undoubted star of the show. Jeered by the home supporters for some perceived play-acting, the winger-turned-striker landed his fourth goal of the season a mere 18 seconds into the second half to give the visitors the lead.

His movement off the ball was consistently excellent, pulling players into uncomfortable
positions.

And with around half an hour left, Taylor’s twist-and-poke in the penalty area prompted a silly challenge from Leon Legge, giving Dale Stephens the opportunity to stroke home from the spot to round off a satisfying afternoon for the visitors.

There were other stand-out performers. Dean Furman, who cracked home Athletic’s equaliser, was back to his best as a compact midfield hustler alongside the improved Stephens.

PROMISE

Cedric Evina, a debutant at 18 years old, showed real promise going forward and appears to have a lovely cross in his left foot.

And Oumare Tounkara, as direct as the Piccadilly Line tube from King’s Cross to South Ealing and almost as powerful, set up the second goal with a typical driving run. He was also tireless and a constant menace.

Both sides can point to wasted chances and bottom-of-the-table Brentford could argue Nicky Forster’s second-half header against the underside of the bar was evidence of their bad luck.

By that point, though, Athletic were already two goals ahead. Overall, this was a well-deserved and impressive victory — something Everton, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday haven’t managed to achieve against the Bees at the same venue this season.

Brentford left-back Craig Woodman set up Weston’s opening strike from deep in his own half, simply floating a ball past Jason Jarrett and into a cavernous gap in the defence to beat the offside trap, with the left winger calmly stepping round Dean Brill before rolling home into an empty goal.

A madcap half of football ensued, with 16 further shots at goal inside 45 frantic minutes.

The majority of those were from Athletic, who started the game with an unchanged team from that which drew 1-1 against Leyton Orient, skipper Reuben Hazell unable to return after suspension due to a knee injury.

The visitors had started the game well before going behind and didn’t let the setback affect them when piling forward.

But Athletic could easily have been two goals down after only nine minutes.

Charlie MacDonald beat another wobbly defensive line to get in behind the defence and it led to Kevin O’Connor having his low shot well saved by a diving Brill before MacDoald turned in the rebound with offside the verdict.

Back down the other end, Athletic soon produced an attractive equaliser.

Kieran Lee pulled back an inviting cross from the byline and Furman’s eyes lit up, the midfielder running in and sliding the ball firmly past the grasp of Bees goalkeeper Ben Hamer.

Chances were arriving thick and fast, with Stephens having his volley tipped over the bar at one end and a second Brentford ‘goal’, this time for Forster, was disallowed for offside as Weston easily got in behind Lee to put in a cross.

Tounkara would have been through on goal but for an excellent saving tackle from Michael Spillane, and MacDonald hit a far-post shot from a narrow angle agonisingly wide as the game continued to provide rich entertainment.

Taylor and Forster then exchanged efforts on target as the half drew to a close, giving both managers a chance to try to establish control over a frighteningly open clash.

But Scott’s plans were dashed with the bosses barely having taken up their dug-out seats. Tounkara showed good close control and strength before laying into the feet of Taylor, whose first touch was perfect with the second an emphatic finish.

Lewis Alessandra and Lee were booked for rash challenges and Taylor for dissent as Athletic battled to keep the lead.

The hapless Legge got his free header all wrong from O’Connor’s free-kick and a couple of minutes later the third Athletic goal arrived.

Taylor received Stephens’ low ball into his feet with his back to goal and has both legs swiped away by Legge’s attempted tackle as he turned away inside the box.

Tounkara wasted a terrific chance for a fourth midway through the half, blazing over when he could have taken another touch, and Forster’s effort hit the woodwork as the home team pressed in vain.

Evina was handed a yellow card for a rash challenge after being robbed of possession, as was Tounkara after playing on beyond the whistle.

Jean-Francois Christophe came on with six minutes left for his debut and almost set up fellow sub Dean Kelly, who would have had a chance at goal had his touch been better.