Brentford hit back to beat Burton in thriller

Brentford staged a remarkable second-half comeback to turn a 3-1 half-time deficit into a 5-3 victory in a breathtaking game at the Pirelli Stadium.

Sergi Canos, who was one of the architects of the Bees’ recovery, had put Dean Smith’s side ahead with a cute finish from Romaine Sawyers’ clipped cross from the right.

But Burton responded with two Marvin Sordell goals, both from near-post corners that were not dealt with by the Bees defence – the first was a simple header into an open net and the second a tap in.

It got worse a few minutes before the break when Cauley Woodrow, on loan at Burton from Fulham, struck a free-kick from just outside the box through the wall and beyond Brentford keeper Daniel Bentley.

The second half, though, was a different story. A trademark Brentford passing move on the edge of the box, initiated by Ryan Woods, saw Jota feed Sergi Canos, who let Lasse Vibe take over, and the Dane kept his cool to finish past the advancing Jon McLaughlin to pull a goal back.

It was 3-3 before the hour mark with Vibe releasing Canos, who got clear of defender and goalkeeper to slot in from an increasingly tight angle.

Brentford’s tails were up by that stage and only an outstanding sliding clearance from John Brayford prevented Florian Jozefzoon from scoring, while Jota later hit the post.

But Burton, who missed chances of their own, could not keep the Bees at bay, with Vibe sliding in to convert Jozefzoon’s cross from the left on 85 minutes, before Jota put the seal shortly afterwards.

Brentford: Bentley; Colin, Dean, Barbet, Field; Woods, Kerschbaumer (Yennaris 63); Jota, Sawyers (McCormack 78), Canos (Jozefzoon 70); Vibe.
Subs not used: Bonham, Egan, Clarke, Shaibu.