Newcastle fight back to beat Brentford
Newcastle came from behind to dent Brentford European aspirations and consolidate their own push for a top-four spot with two second-half goals.
The Bees dominated the first half and saw Ivan Toney’s penalty on the stroke of half-time put them in front after he’d missed his first spot kick in 24 attempts when Nick Pope saved his weak effort.
It was the first time Toney had been unsuccessful from 12 yards in a Brentford jersey with his last failure to convert coming in 2018 against Barnsley in his Peterborough United days.
Toney looked to have put the Bees ahead after eight minutes when he turned in after Pope had clawed away a Pontus Jansson header only for VAR to deem the striker was offside.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe introduced Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon at half-time and the changes paid dividends as the Magpies were much improved after the restart.
Joelinton created the equaliser with a mazy run into the box and sold Ben Mee a dummy that left the veteran defender on the ground and fired in via the heels of David Raya who was credited with the own goal.
That goal led to a spell of complete dominance by the visitors who added a second when Alexander Isak fired home brilliantly after Bruno Guimaraes won the ball off Mathias Jensen.
Wilson added a third but VAR again intervened to spot a handball from the England striker.
Brentford pushed hard for an equaliser with an aerial bombardment on the Newcastle box, but Howe’s men held firm to hold on for the win.
Brentford: Raya, Hickey (Mbeumo 73), Jansson (Zanka 15), Pinnock, Mee (Janelt 82), Henry, Norgaard (Wissa 82), Jensen, Dasilva (Baptiste 72), Toney, Schade. Subs not used Strakosha, Ghoddos, Damsgaard, Roerslev.
