Hogan scores hat-trick as Brentford thrash Preston

Brentford 5 Preston 0

Scott Hogan scored a hat-trick as Brentford thrashed Preston to move up to fifth in the Championship table.

Harlee Dean also found the net at Griffin Park, where there were three late goals in the space of four minutes – including an own goal by Chris Humphrey.

Hogan opened the scoring nine minutes before half-time when he found space on the left of the penalty area and calmly steered the ball into the far corner of the net after being found by Romaine Sawyers’ pass.

Hogan played a key role in Dean’s 73rd-minute goal, meeting Lewis Macleod’s right-wing corner with a far-post header to tee up the Bees defender, who fired home.

Hogan netted again with seven minutes remaining when he pounced on poor back-header by Daniel Johnson and rounded keeper Anders Lindgaard to score.

Another defensive mishap gifted Brentford another goal two minutes later, this time when Humphrey turned Josh Clarke’s cross into his own net.

And Hogan then completed the rout with an emphatic finish after being found by Macleod – the striker’s sixth goal of the season and his fifth in three matches.