As a great man once famously said: It’s up for grabs now
“It’s up for grabs now!” was the famous commentary by the legendary Brian Moore as Michael Thomas won the 1989 League title for Arsenal at Anfield.
And it’s also applies to the current state of the League One promotion race.
Brentford are in the thick of a battle which saw just four points separating the top seven clubs at the end of February.
Any club which puts together a good run over the final two months of the most open season for years in this division will surely win promotion.
The Bees will hope that Tuesday’s hard-earned win at Crawley is a sign that their recent sticky spell may be over.
They enter March knowing that their fate is very much in their own hands with at least one game in hand on all the clubs around them.
After Tuesday’s visit to Stevenage, the month also sees two games against fellow promotion contenders.
Swindon visit Griffin Park on Tuesday 12th and then Uwe Rosler’s men go to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United on Saturday 23rd.
That match is live on Sky but the club are very keen on fans travelling, so have laid on free coaches.
Looking ahead, they finish the season with a potential decider against Doncaster while the rest of their fixtures are against mid or lower-table teams.
The man of the moment is undoubtedly Clayton Donaldson – the first Brentford player to score 20 goals in a season since Lloyd Owusu in 2001/02.
He reached the landmark in Sussex on Tuesday despite the tragic death of his mother, who sadly passed away on the morning of the Chelsea replay.
When the striker, who had missed a first-minute penalty, put the Bees 2-0 ahead to reach the 20-goal landmark he peeled off his shirt to reveal a t-shirt saying “For you Mum” and sank to his knees in the penalty area.
He stayed there looking heavenwards and his team-mates left him alone to pay his tribute.
Donaldson’s achievement in scoring so many this season is even more noteworthy considering his struggles in front of goal last term.
His all-round play has been excellent in his two years with the club, which was why he deservedly kept his place last season despite his goal drought.
Before the game at Crawley he had been out on the wing for a few matches and this season’s goals had dried up.
But, restored to his central striking role, he was immediately much more of a goal threat once again.
The squad has also been freshened up for the run-in with a couple of new signings.
Bradley Wright-Phillips has added experience and knowhow up front, while England under-21 international Liam Moore made an assured debut at the back on Tuesday.
Their arrivals, made possible by the Chelsea cup cash, has given Rosler the chance to rest players when necessary ahead of a busy March.
Making predictions is a dangerous game but whatever happens, I will say that the next two months have the potential to be exciting ones for Brentford fans.
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