Smith’s former side knock Bees out
Brentford 0 Walsall 1
Brentford were knocked out of the FA Cup by boss Dean Smith’s former club after a heroic display from ex-Fulham keeper Neil Etheridge.
The only goal of the game, on 35 minutes, came when Sam Mantom was given too much space outside the Bees penalty area and he clipped a left-footed shot beyond home keeper David Button.
Brentford were given more impetus by the half-time introduction of Alan Judge, but they were kept at bay by the brilliance of Etheridge.
He twice denied Judge and made an outstanding save from Sergi Canos, while the fit-again Marco Djuricin shot just wide, as the League One side made the fourth round for the first time in 10 years.
Smith, who left Walsall to take the Brentford job in November, made five changes and as a result his side lacked cohesion in the first half.
Neither keeper was called upon until the goal, which sparked ironic chants of “sacked in the morning” from the Saddlers fans, aimed at their old manager
Former Chelsea youngster Milan Lalkovic then went close to a second before the break with a curling effort which dropped just wide of the far post.
Judge’s arrival, plus some sharp words from Smith no doubt, had an energising effect on the Bees.
Etheridge made the first of his string of saves when he beat away an angled shot from Judge, then smothered at the feet of Hofmann and pushed behind a low effort from John Swift which skimmed off the sodden turf.
Walsall remained a threat on the counter, Romaine Sawyers lashing just over the bar after Jake Bidwell had vacated the left-back position, while Brentford could not beat Etheridge.
He saved from Judge, after the Irishman had robbed Rico Henry, and then scrambled across to brilliantly keep out Cano’s deflected effort, while Djuricin – in his first appearance in two months – fired narrowly wide.
Walsall could have wrapped it up late on as Button denied George Evans and James O’Connor’s head smacked against the post.
Brentford: Button; Yennaris, Dean, O’Connell, Bidwell; McCormack (Kerschbaumer 60), McEachran (Judge 46); Canos, Woods, Swift; Hofmann (Djuricin 68).
Subs not used: Bonham, Barbet, Gogia, Saunders.
