Brilliant Brentford go third with victory over Swansea

Brentford 3 Swansea 1

Ollie Watkins scored twice as Brentford secured a fifth consecutive home league win and moved up to third in the Championship.

The Bees scored twice in the space of five first-half minutes at Griffin Park, where Bryan Mbeumo put them ahead before Watkins doubled the lead.

Andre Ayew scored for Swansea midway through the second half but Watkins fifth goal in as many matches and 15th of the season sealed the win.

Mbeumo’s goal was his ninth of the campaign and came via Mathias Jensen’s right-wing corner.

Ethan Pinnock at the far post headed Jensen’s delivery back across goal and Mbeumo headed in from close range.

And Brentford went further ahead when Rico Henry raced down the left and served up a brilliant cross for Watkins, who stretched to direct the ball past keeper Freddie Woodman.

Mbeumo almost added another goal in the second half, shooting narrowly wide of the target after tricking his way past former Brentford man Jake Bidwell.

A third would have put the Bees out of sight but instead they needed to dig in after Ayew pulled a goal back for Swansea on 65 minutes.

After playing the ball inside to Bersant Celina, Ayew continued his run and followed up to score after Celina’s shot had been spilled by keeper David Raya.

But Watkins put the game beyond the Swans’ reach with a couple of minutes remaining when he finished coolly after beating the offside trap.