Brentford booked their place in the FA Cup Fourth Round with a 3-2 victory over StockportCounty at Edgeley Park. The home side belied their status at the bottom of Coca-Cola League Two with an excellent performance and it took a display full of heart and determination, sprinkled with moments of quality, from the visitors to get through.
The Bees were able to welcome back Paul Brooker and Kevin O'Connor after illness as well as Marcus Gayle after injury. John Mousinho and Isaiah Rankin dropped to the substitute's bench to be joined by Andrew Frampton, who had also recovered from an injury. The other player to be missing from the Brentford team which played at Bradford on Monday was Jay Tabb, who was out with a foot injury.
Stockport, who were looking for a cup upset, started well, Jermaine Easter failed to make decent contact on a Harpal Singh cross inside the first two minutes and Keith Briggs shot weakly at Stuart Nelson when he failed to hold a Matthew Hamshaw cross. Briggs had a shot deflected over as the home side continued to press and after a series of corners Danny Boshell and Hamshaw had shots which flew off target.
Brentford had not been allowed to get a grip on the game as their League Two opponents passed the ball well and pressed in midfield. The Bees first chance came in the 13th minute, a long throw from O'Connor was flicked on by Sam Sodje, Eddie Hutchinson knocked it down to Dudley Campbell who fired in an overhead effort, Lloyd Owusu tried to divert it past James Spencer in the Stockport goal but only knocked it over the bar.
But Brentford did not have to wait too long for their lead. Spencer's goal kick was headed back by Sodje, Michael Raynes misjudged the flight of the ball and Owusu was in behind the defence, his first time lob was too good for Spencer and it nestled in the bottom right hand corner.
Brentford tried to kick on but they were pegged back four minutes later, a free kick was taken quickly by Damien Allen and it split the visitors defence wide open. Easter ran onto the ball and shot past Nelson with ease.
The game went quiet for a period, both teams were trying to attack but could not create any clear cut chances, Owusu almost turned the ball past Spencer from a Gayle flick but it was Stockport who came closest to adding to the score sheet. Boshell set the home side on a quick break with a ball to Hamshaw, he slipped it on to Easter who ran clear, Nelson forced him wide and his shot cannoned to safety off the crossbar.
Following that escape it was the visitors who had the chances, Hutchinson forced Spencer into a low save when he met a Gayle corner at the near post and Campbell had a better chance moments later. Newman's ball over the top allowed the former Yeading striker to get in behind the home defence, he turned Ashley Williams but shot wide, Owusu fired over the bar just before the interval and three minutes after the re-start Stockport took the lead when Hamshaw curled a corner to the far post where Briggs rose highest to power the ball home.
Brentford were the better team in the early stages of the second half and didn't let the deficit affect their play. Good work from Campbell on the right set up a crossing opportunity for Brooker, he picked out Owusu who headed narrowly wide. At the other end Allen fired just past the post but Brentford grabbed an equaliser in the 65th minute.
Owusu picked the ball up and slipped in through to Tillen, he got to the by-line and stood a cross up to the far post where Owusu brought a fine save from Spencer, the ball dropped to Campbell who bobbled a shot past the stranded goalkeeper and over the line, despite the efforts of Boshell and appeals from Spencer.
Brentford thought they had taken the lead with 11 minutes remaining, substitute Rankin floated a corner to the far post, Owusu knocked it back to Sodje, whose header was cleared off the line by Mark Robinson. Stockport seemed set to go ahead with seven minutes to go, a quick free-kick was taken by Hamshaw and set Easter away but Michael Turner was in the right place at the right time to stretch out a leg and produce a goal saving tackle.
That proved to be even more valuable two minutes later when Brentford grabbed their winner. Frampton, who was brought on for the tiring Gayle, made a break to the edge of the box where he slipped it sideways to Owusu, the ball was spread wide to Campbell who knocked it into the box, Hutchinson nodded it down to Rankin who blasted home.
Stockport refused to be bowed and pushed for a last gasp equaliser, which they almost got in stoppage time. Spencer, who was in the Brentford box for the late set-pieces, played it wide to Hamshaw, he cut inside and blasted it in but Frampton flicked it over the bar and that was Stockport's last chance.
Brentford: Nelson; O'Connor, Turner, Sodje, Tillen; Brooker (sub Rankin 59 mins), Newman, Hutchinson, Gayle (Frampton 69 mins); Owusu, Campbell
Subs (not used): Lewis, Mousinho, Bankole
Attendance: 4,078
Written by Chris Wickham
