El Alagui’s late goal takes Bees through
Brentford 3 Dagenham & Redbridge 2
Substitute Farid El Alagui headed home a stoppage-time winner – his second goal of the match – to send Brentford through to the second round of the Capital One Cup.
The Bees looked destined for extra time after Josh Scott poked home an 88th-minute equaliser for Dagenham & Redbridge, but El Alagui nodded in to win the game in dramatic fashion.
Brentford fell behind after on-loan Cardiff City defender Ben Nugent’s own goal on his first appearance since arriving at Griffin Park.
El Alagui came off the bench in the second half to fire in an equaliser before summer signing Martin Fillo scored his first goal for his new club to make it 2-1.
Fillo was making his full debut alongside Nugent, Javi Venta and goalkeeper Jack Bonham in a much changed Bees side.
Brentford were poor in the first half and it was epitomised when Nugent turned a cross into his own net on 18 minutes.
Dagenham hit the crossbar early in the second half before El Alagui equalised from inside the area and Fillo burst into the box and fired Brentford into the lead.
The League Two side looked to have secured extra time when Scott slotted into an empty net from Rhys Murphy’s header late on.
But El Alagui, back from a long-term knee injury, bagged a second to send Brentford through.
Brentford (4-4-2): Bonham; Venta, O’Connor (Craig 46), Nugent, Barron; Fillo, Dallas, Reeves, Oyeleke (El Alagui 54); Saunders; Hayes.
Sub not used: Button, Pierre, Adams, Norris, Clarke.
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