Brentford through after beating Barnet in replay
Brentford 3 Barnet 1
Brentford prevailed in the FA cup clash between London’s Bees with a fully merited victory over Barnet in the fourth round replay.
Goals from Sergi Canos, Julian Jeanvier and Neal Maupay helped book a trip to face Championship rivals Swansea City in the next round with Thomas Frank’s side now 10 games unbeaten.
Brentford had overcome Blackburn Rovers in an absorbing 5-2 home victory on Saturday, and were aiming to see off their National League opponents after an entertaining 3-3 draw at The Hive.
The west London Bees’ early initiative paid off as early as the seventh minute when they took the lead.
From a short corner on the left, Said Benrahma slipped the ball neatly into the path of Canos who tucked the ball past Barnet keeper Mark Cousins from close range.
The hosts then nearly added to their lead when both Romaine Sawyers and Neal Maupay tried their luck from distance, but on both occasions the ball fizzed wide.
Barnet, meanwhile, struggled to cope with the pace and vigour of Brentford but they did go close when Medy Elito curled an effort inches past the post from 20 yards.
Such was their pressing defensive duties however that it took a scramble off the line by Elliott Johnson to deny Maupay.
Just past the half hour mark, Brentford – in enterprising mood – grabbed a deserved second. Benrahma was involved again, the Algerian winger flighting in an inviting free kick from the right for Jeanvier, who eluded the attentions of Barnet defender Dan Sweeney to steer into the roof of the net on the volley.
It was a well-worked move highlighting the Bees’ first half dominance. Canos glanced a header past the post from a Josh McEachran free kick while Barnet’s Jack Taylor should have at least hit the target on a rare foray.
The second half began in dramatic fashion, with Elito’s scything tackle on Canos sparking a mass swarm of angry Bees on both sides before referee Roger East finally controlled the situation, issuing cautions to both players, plus Sweeney. Sawyers, in casually confident form, tested Cousins with a 12 yard drive before shooting the rebound wide.
With little to lose, Barnet, while struggling to contain Brentford’s speed of thought and movement, enjoyed a more positive spell and reasserted themselves. Craig Robson cannoned a header off the crossbar as the north London side sought to somehow forge their way back into the tie.
Nevertheless, hopes of Darren Currie’s outfit causing a stir were extinguished in the 71st minute when Brentford scored a clinical third. Latching onto Henrik Dalsgaard’s cross, unmarked Maupay had the easiest of tasks to press the ball beyond Cousins.
The visitors did enjoy a deserved consolation when David Tutonda instinctively lashed a left foot shot high into the net with the hosts’ defence static.
It proved, ultimately, to be a minor reprieve on a night when the class between the Championship and National League fully unfolded.
