Frank savours ‘another strong away performance’ as Bees win again

Thomas Frank hailed his Brentford side after their encouraging form continued with a 3-0 win at Wigan.

Goals from Bryan Mbeumo, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Josh Dasilva lifted Brentford into ninth place.

Winger Mbeumo fired the Bees into a fifth-minute lead with his third goal in five games before Mokotjo doubled their advantage midway through the second half.

Any hopes of a Latics comeback were effectively snuffed out soon afterwards when defender Cedric Kipre was shown his second yellow card for bringing down Ollie Watkins.

Dasilva made certain of the points with a late third, rifling home from 25 yards before the Londoners had Julian Jeanvier sent off following a clash with Joe Williams.

Brentford dominated the opening stages and went ahead when Dasilva’s corner found Christian Norgaard, who was denied by David Marshall, but the Danish midfielder reacted quickly to tee up Mbeumo from close range.

Joel Valencia and Mokotjo went close to increasing the Bees’ advantage, while Wigan offered little aside from Kieffer Moore’s 25-yard drive, which zipped just beyond the post.

Former Brentford midfielder Lewis MacLeod fired a volley just over early in the second half, but Mokotjo made it 2-0 with a left-footed drive from 15 yards.

Kipre’s dismissal four minutes later made it an uphill struggle for the Latics and Dasilva’s third goal of the season extended Brentford’s advantage.

However, the visitors also finished the game a man short, with Jeanvier red-carded in the aftermath of a scuffle that saw Wigan substitute Joe Gelhardt stretchered off.

“I think it was another strong away performance and it is very pleasing to win against a very difficult opponent,” Frank said.

“We controlled the game very well and don’t think we gave a chance away. We came here with a strong attitude and scored some very good goals.

“Wigan are one of the best teams in this division on offensive set pieces and we kept them very quiet in that part.

“We can see a bit of consistency now with four wins in five and we just need to keep going.”