Griffin Park is unique in the football world in that it has a pub on every corner of the ground, yes I have been in them all a very beer induced trip in the 1990's which is probably the last time I went there until Saturday. Sadly the Bees have plans to relocate from Griffin Park and build a 20,000 all seater stadium within the vicinity. Changes also behind the scene where manager/coach or whatever they call them these days Marinus Dijkhiuzen, has taken over from Mark Warburton who is now Rangers boss. Last season the Bees surprised many by reaching the Championship play offs before losing to Middlesbrough over two legs. Brentford have changed tack in the way the game is played by going down a statistically route in respects of players performances, personal view best type of stats are if you score more goals than your opponent but not in the new fangled world. Player wise there has been plenty of coming and going with highest profile being striker Andre Gray who signed for the six fingered ones at Turf Moor. Keeper Button is still with them as is Tarkowski but they have kept hold of one of the better players in the division in Alan Judge always rated this guy and he usually scores against us. They have brought in a few from abroad as well so it will be a cosmopolitan line up that we face. North End still have Beckford, Hugill, Ried and Gallagher out the latter and I never thought I would ever say this is a big miss at the moment. After Tuesday's rather fortunate point maybe the tide is turning in our favour. As it's down south we will give a penalty a way and probably lose to a goal in the 98th minute. Nine hours there and back so match report Sunday.
Grayson's decision to make 10 outfield substitutions at half time led to North End collapsing in a heap in a shocker of a second half performance. Having been in reasonable control in the first half North End's collapsed cost them three points. It all started so well Brentford kicking off twice within the first minute of the game. The Bees lost possession and Cunningham and Browne combined to set in Doyle down the left, his cross was not properly dealt with and the ball ran free to the unmarked Johnson who scored with ease. Doyle was narrowly wide minutes later as North End played with style and confidence in the early stages, the Bees looked extremely shaky at the back. Several efforts tested the home defence but we did not manage to get a second. Brentford having weathered the storm got back into the game but were kept at arms length by the North End defence, when they diid get close they found Pickford in impressive form again, his save from a header from a Judge corner was top class. At the other end Garner's wait for a goal goes on, he was denied by a great save Button and went narrowly wide with another effort, however he did rack up his 5th booking of the season and now misses Tuesday match against Bournemouth. Half time arrives all was well in the away end until the half started. North End started in reverse gear and never got started, the Bees fans thought they had scored from a free kick but the ball had hit the side netting, it was a sign of things to come. The only surprise it took them 15 minutes to score, he introduction of young substitute Canos changed the game in favour of the Bees, his first action was to skip down the right wing, cut in down the by line and pass Vibe who scored. Grayson tried this tactic put on a substitute to see if a goal would come well it did for the Bees, Djuricin waltzed down the left hand side through a selection of non tackles firing past Pickford to give the home side the lea. They could have added more but main through good keeping by Pickford they didn't. It was noticeable that North Ends main tactic after going behind was to launch the ball into the flight path of the planes flying into Heathrow it didn't work as the Bees won every header and second ball. Nine minutes injury time could have been nine hours we still would not have scored. Very poor in the second half and extremely frustrating for the decent turn out of away fans. Pressure starting to build on the manager. Brentford 2 Preston North End 1 Att 9463 Brentford head coach Marinus Dijkhuizen: "The crowd helped us a lot today and their intensity and passion got through to the players. "We were a lot more effective in the second half so I am very pleased with the win. "To go behind so early brought a mental challenge for us, so I am very pleased with the character we showed to stay patient, get back in the game and then win it." Preston manager Simon Grayson: "We stopped doing the good things we'd been doing before the break and when their second goal went in a few of our players looked like the game was over. "We need to learn from that because in this division the quality is greater and the margin for error smaller. "If you want to win you have to do better at the ugly side of the game. It's a lesson and one we will have to learn from quickly."
Big Sam and Moyse, possibly, w will be free. Speaking to a Leeds fan in Peterborough and he thought that Leeds missed him! Your favourite manager of all time has taken over Posh. He will clear out the dead wood!
