BRENTFORD answered their critics in emphatic style with a 4-0 win over Woking on Tuesday night.

Before the game, Brentford had yet to win in four pre-season games, scoring just three goals.

But by midway through the second-half at Kingfield, they had doubled that tally in a real display od attacking intent.

Nicky Forster opened the scoring on nine minutes with his first goal since returning to the club, bringing down a long ball forward from Karleigh Osborne with one touch and finishing superbly with the other.

A good run and cross by Forster ended with the ball just cleared off trialist Izale McLeod's foot, and the former Charlton and MK Dons man just failed to get his head to a Michael Spillane cross soon after.

Down the other end, former Bee Moses Ademola had a shot saved by Simon Moore, before the Bees keeper made an outstanding save from Andy Forbes, tipping his shot from the edge of the box over at full stretch.

It was 2-0 on the half-hour mark when a Kevin O'Connor ball down the right put in Forster to cut back for an easy finish for Spillane.

Dave Gilroy misses a good chance for Woking soon after, while Forster put a point blank header from an O'Connor corner wide on the stroke of half-time.

McLeod's evening came to an end on 55 minutes when he was replaced by Sam Wood, and minutes later, Wood crossed for Wswad Thomas to put through his own net, although Myles Weston claimed the goal.

But there was no doubt about Weston's claim for the fourth, finishing with aplomb following a sublime one-two with Forster on the edge of the box.

Hounslow Chronicle

CRAIG Woodman insists he feels no pressure in replacing fans' favourite Ryan Dickson at Brentford.

Dickson's silky skills and surging runs from left back made him a real Griffin Park crowd pleaser before his departure to Southampton earlier this summer.

Boss Andy Scott filled the gap with former Wycombe man Woodman, who is described as a solid defender, if not a marauding wing back like Dickson.

Woodman said: "I do like to get forward a bit myself, but my number one priority is defending.

"And if I'm stopping wingers getting forward and cutting out the supply line from the right, hopefully the crowd will appreciate that."

Woodman feels the new-look Brentford back four already has an advantage as he and centre back David McCracken, who arrived from MK Dons, have already played together at Wycombe.

He said: "David turned up at Brentford on the same day as me, which was a bit of a surprise as I didn't know he was signing too.

"It helps that we know each other's games inside out too. We signed at the same time for Wycombe too, and were there together for two years before David went to MK Dons.

"I would say David is very much a no-nonsense 'if in doubt, put it out' kind of defender who hates any attacker getting past him. And if anyone does, hopefully I'll be there to cover."

Hounslow Chronicle