Not sure what to make of the game on Saturday, for the first 30 minutes we controlled the match and Brentford never looked like scoring from open play.
Stokes tumbled to win us a penalty, coolly slotted home by Hammond. A few minutes later Lynch waltzes through the defense and crosses to Hart who slams the ball into the top of the net.
We still dominated, Brentford scratched heads and looked lost, then we suddenly reverted to the team of last season. We hoofed from the back, got overrun in midfield and gave away countless free kicks. The referee was superb in this game, wish they were all this good, he even spotted a dive by a Brentford player and booked him!
Brentford got back into the game with a quality free kick, but at 2-1 I still couldn't see them equalising despite Reid, Mayo and El-abd all having dreadful matches.
So with the clock ticking down to the last minute of 3 minutes added on, the Brentford keeper hoofs it up field, El-Abd completely misjudges his attempted header, it bounces over his head, the forward is clear, Henderson is out sharply but its a good flick over the keeper, but Mayo and Lynch (?) were behind Henderson, but somehow Mayo manages to do some sort of Celtic Sword dancing over and round the ball and they both slide into the net!
Now people have said what reaction will McGhee get at Forest, well he no longer gets clapped to the dugout at Withdean, no "pints of whiskey" song and no response to the crowd. Paul Brooker (a Brentford sub) got a standing ovation (and a nice round of applause from the whole ground when he came on)
He blamed the players on Saturday - I have to say I agree with that 100%, they went to sleep despite McGhee and Wilkins constant shouting from the bench.
henderson - 7 no chance with either goal - distribution was poor at times, but Reid and Mayo didn't help!
Reid - 5 poor match all round, even his crosses were poor
Mayo - 4 dreadful match, what happened to the calm head from the first 2 games.
El-Abd - 4 missed header after header and caused many goal mouth scrambles
Lynch - 7 best of a bad bunch, lost his rag with the referee in the 2nd half and Chippy had to try and calm him down, but he was a stroppy young man!
Carpenter - 6 battled hard
Stokes - 8 my MOTM, involved in most of our good moves
Hammond - 6 battled hard, but faded out in the 2nd half
Hart - 7 great goal, held the ball up well
Robinson - 8 pushed Stoked for MOTM, was prepared to run at the opposition
Revell - 6 quieter game, I would like to see him playing down the middle rather that wide right
Cox came on for Hart - 7 looks a good prospect, prepared to run at defenders and almost scored
Loft for Robinson - too little time to make an impression
Gatting, Kuipers and Lowe not used