Two for Toney as Bees see off Coventry
Ivan Toney scored twice in 10 second-half minutes to give Brentford their first league win in three games, and take his own tally to five goals in three matches.
Toney, who had been denied three times in the first half, opened the scoring less than a minute into the second when he prodded home Bryan Mbeumo’s cross.
And he doubled the lead with a firm far-post header from a deep centre by Emiliano Marcondes, who had also been involved in the first goal build-up.
Coventry offered little, although Matt Godden did hit the underside of the bar, but worryingly for the Bees, both Toney and Marcondes hobbled off injured.
Brentford totally dominated the first half-hour but could not find the net.
Coventry goalkeeper Marko Marosi saved from Toney three times in that period. The first was 30 seconds into the match, before he later blocked the striker’s flick and then tipped away his piledriver at full stretch.
Marcondes also landed a header on the top of the net from a Sergi Canos cross.
The Sky Blues had their first shot of the match in the 35th minute, when Ben Sheaf forced the recalled David Raya to save his shot from a tight angle.
The Brentford goals finally rewarded their earlier dominance.
The opener came when a Marcondes crossfield ball found Mbeumo, after a slip by Sky Blues defender Ryan Giles. Mbeumo lifted the ball into the area and Toney finished from close range.
Marcondes created the second from the left-hand side of the area, sending in a deep cross which Toney powered home from six yards out.
Toney and Marcondes were hurt in separate incidents and each walked gingerly off the field – a concern for Brentford with six games coming up in the next three weeks.
In-between their departures, Godden rattled the bar from a corner and later had a shot saved by Raya.
But it was a satisfying afternoon for Brentford, who shook off Said Benrahma’s departure to move into the top half of the table.
Brentford: Daniels, Dalsgaard, Henry, Jansson, Pinnock, Jensen, Dasilva (Ghoddos 79), Marcondes (Janelt 70), Canos, Mbeumo, Toney (Forss 64).
