Toney makes it 30 as Brentford beat Watford
Ivan Toney equalled the Championship’s individual scoring record for a season of 30 goals as Brentford earned the victory that secured a third-place finish for the second successive campaign.
Toney had been a goal away from Glenn Murray’s record since scoring at Preston five games ago, but finally matched the eight-year old feat when he slotted home a penalty on the hour mark.
His strike partner Marcus Forss had opened the scoring right at the start of the second half when he slotted home a Sergi Canos cross from close range. That move involved Mads Bidstrup, who made a superb full debut.
Substitute Isaac Success hit the bar for promoted Watford, and Canos rattled the Watford bar late on, and it was Brentford’s day as they recorded their third successive win with a clean sheet, in eight days, and stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games.
Toney will grab the headlines and deservedly so. He has been outstanding this season and you could see how much the record meant to him and the club with the celebrations after he found the net. All the outfield players came to celebrate with him, and the directors in the stand all gave him a standing ovation.
Watford keeper Daniel Bachmann nearly got his hand to the spot-kick, which went to his left, but Toney’s power and placement was too much for him. It was awarded after Toney was fouled by Fransisco Sierralta.
It was a good performance by the Bees, who maintained their momentum ahead of the play-offs in which they are now guaranteed to be at home in the second leg.
Forss had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half before setting up Toney for a firm header which was saved by Bachmann.
Brentford made a superb start to the second half and went ahead immediately. Bidstrup, who looked relaxed and confident throughout, found Tariqe Fosu on the left. He ran on and found Canos whose low cross was swept home by Forss. Soon after Toney doubled the lead, both strikers were substituted.
Although Success rattled the woodwork from inside the penalty area, the Bees finished on top and apart from Canos’s shot against the bar from 30 yards, they had other chances to stretch the lead.
But overall Brentford will be satisfied with another good display and their sixth clean sheet in seven games.
Brentford: Raya, Jansson, Norgaard, Sorensen, Roerslev (Stevens 89), Jensen (Marcondes 80), Bidstrup (Goode 81), Fosu, Canos, Forss (Ghoddos 74), Toney (Mbeumo 74).
