Our third meeting with Brentford this season gave us the mouthwatering prospect of a 4th Round tie with our fierce rivals West Bromwich Albion…that was hard to type. What better incentive could the players need to give the supporters the tie we all wanted since 2021. So how did it go….
We started brightly for once and some good early passing and link up play between the back and the midfield, showed some promising signs. On 11 mins we managed to penetrate the Brentford back line with a final shot by Sarabia, a sign of things to come. In the 12th minute came the sucker punch, a free kick on the right caused a mix up at the back as the ball is worked into box, the ball was pinging around the penalty spot and Collins swivels to hit home, who else? 1-0 Brentford after a VAR check….. which was for offside apparently, a sign of things to come, the goal was given after a delay. This led to Wolves laying siege to the Brentford half, on 22 mins Cunha takes a shot after good link up play on left, only to be saved by keeper. Once again on 26 minutes another chance, Sarabia wins the ball, he glides past the defenders and slips Semedo in but it goes wide. Two minutes later, a chipped ball into Doc by Max Kilman gives him a chance to get his head on it but he can’t connect with it. We are really starting to cause Brentford problems and on 31 mins we get our best chance to score, a strong Cunha run and cross is parried away but Sarabia puts the rebound wide, it was easier to score from my position in the Steve Bull. Finally, we get our equaliser on 35 minutes, Cunha goes on one of his mazy, silky runs, he puts a cross to the far post, Semedo meets it, it’s saved well but he follows in to tuck it home. 1 – 1. Cunha is causing Brentford all kinds of problems. Our last attack of the half sees some good interplay again, but the final ball is lacking. Overall a solid first half except for the goal but after dominating the possession and chances we’ve had, we should have led at HT
HALF TIME 1-1
The second half gets off to a slow start, Collins gets booed but applauds the South Bank whilst smiling, he has a sense of humour at least. It’s a scrappy start after the break, there’s no real attacking play from either side, just loose passes. On 50 mins Maupay scores after being played in in a dodgy looking offside. VAR takes 2 mins to decide goal and even shows an image on the screen that appears to show green lines but he is onside….bizarre. Its now 2 – 1 to Brentford, this sparks a chorus of Pedro Neto who appears onto the field not long after for a disgruntled Doc, who swipes at the spare ball in front of the Steve Bull Stand. I thought he had a good first half and made some great runs, Neto of course carries more of a goal threat and the assist stats speak for themselves.
So much starts to happen now, so I’ll condense things down a bit:
59 mins, A Brentford free kick, comfortable save from Sa.
64 mins, Corner by Sarabia to Doyle, who hits a volley but its blocked, 2nd effort over. That would have been even batter than last weeks strike
69 mins, Lemina and Fraser come on, replacing Hodge and Bellegarde, they didn’t get into the game as much as we all would have liked.
64 mins, Corner by Sarabia to Doyle, who hits a volley but its blocked, 2nd effort over. That would have been even batter than last weeks strike
69 mins, Lemina and Fraser come on, replacing Hodge and Bellegarde, they didn’t get into the game as much as we all would have liked.
The tempo of the game increases and the pressure by us is now starting to show.
71 mins, Wolves break, ball won by Lemina, who drives forward and hits a shot wide
72 mins, We win the ball, Doule passes to Cunha who plays Fraser in, one touch and BANG, he drives it across the keeper into the far corner. 2-2.
73 mins, Cunha again drives into box and plays it to Fraser who has his effort blocked for a corner. Great start by him, he could have had two goals in a few minutes.
76 mins, A back heel effort from Santi Bueno from a cross is tipped over. Corner comes to nothing.
79 mins, Wolves break, a Neto cross but Sarabia blazes it way over.
82 mins Potter volley just over.
83 mins, Neto dragged down after being played into the box, No VAR, no pen, Semedo hits the loose ball wide.
87 mins, Neto crosses, Lemina’s flicked header is saved.
90 mins, A Doyle ball into Cunha and his shot is saved. Doyle gives ball away in the middle of the park and Brentford break into area but its defended well.
5 mins added time, the game is over in normal time. Here we go, it’s extra time. 30 mins longer to win a game we really should have done in the 90 mins.
95 mins Cunha goes clear after a through ball but hits post, its offside anyway.
96 mins, Brentford break, hit the post. Crowd trying to lift the Wolves team.
101 mins, great defensive header by Toti, he is injured in the process but he’s ok.
103 mins, a Cunha shot tipped over.
105 mins, Neto goes down, penalty…4 mins later, after a VAR check on that and a violent conduct check, Cunha converts 3-2.
105 mins, Wolves live dangerously, the balls not cleared and it ricochets off a Wolves player just wide. It was like a scramble in the playground at a break time footy game.
108 mins, Cunha comes off, shattered and weary, a goal and two assist, a great game again
112 mins, Its another goal to Brentford, its checked by VAR again, no goal. Phew
115 mins, Bueno is a prime Messi as he jinks past players, wins the ball back and generally plays like a winger, Max takes one for team by dragging down a Brentford player breaking away.
A few nervous defensive moment in last 5 mins + 3 mins injury time
123 mins, a ball to Bueno sees him break forward but his shot is just wide.
71 mins, Wolves break, ball won by Lemina, who drives forward and hits a shot wide
72 mins, We win the ball, Doule passes to Cunha who plays Fraser in, one touch and BANG, he drives it across the keeper into the far corner. 2-2.
73 mins, Cunha again drives into box and plays it to Fraser who has his effort blocked for a corner. Great start by him, he could have had two goals in a few minutes.
76 mins, A back heel effort from Santi Bueno from a cross is tipped over. Corner comes to nothing.
79 mins, Wolves break, a Neto cross but Sarabia blazes it way over.
82 mins Potter volley just over.
83 mins, Neto dragged down after being played into the box, No VAR, no pen, Semedo hits the loose ball wide.
87 mins, Neto crosses, Lemina’s flicked header is saved.
90 mins, A Doyle ball into Cunha and his shot is saved. Doyle gives ball away in the middle of the park and Brentford break into area but its defended well.
5 mins added time, the game is over in normal time. Here we go, it’s extra time. 30 mins longer to win a game we really should have done in the 90 mins.
95 mins Cunha goes clear after a through ball but hits post, its offside anyway.
96 mins, Brentford break, hit the post. Crowd trying to lift the Wolves team.
101 mins, great defensive header by Toti, he is injured in the process but he’s ok.
103 mins, a Cunha shot tipped over.
105 mins, Neto goes down, penalty…4 mins later, after a VAR check on that and a violent conduct check, Cunha converts 3-2.
105 mins, Wolves live dangerously, the balls not cleared and it ricochets off a Wolves player just wide. It was like a scramble in the playground at a break time footy game.
108 mins, Cunha comes off, shattered and weary, a goal and two assist, a great game again
112 mins, Its another goal to Brentford, its checked by VAR again, no goal. Phew
115 mins, Bueno is a prime Messi as he jinks past players, wins the ball back and generally plays like a winger, Max takes one for team by dragging down a Brentford player breaking away.
A few nervous defensive moment in last 5 mins + 3 mins injury time
123 mins, a ball to Bueno sees him break forward but his shot is just wide.
The full-time whistle blows, I’m knackered watching it all, the players must be on their last legs, what a rollercoaster game. Its onto Round 4 and The Hawthorns, please let it be a less nervy game but I doubt that wish will be granted. Lets get ready to rumble!!!!!
Player Ratings:
Team: 7.5 – a battling never say die performance we have come to see.
Sa – 6.5
Semedo – 7.5
Kilman – 7
S Bueno – 8.5
Toti – 8
Doherty – 7.5
Doyle – 8
Hodge – 6
Bellegarde – 6
Sarabia – 7
Cunha – 9
Subs.
Lemina – 7.5
H Bueno – 6.5
Dawson – 6
Neto – 7.5
Fraser – 6.5
MAN OF THE MATCH – Matheus Cunha who stole the show for me, his consistent running and probing caused Brentford so many problems. He was ran very close by Santi Bueno and Tommy Doyle.
ARTICLE BY CRAIG HICKEY
A 53 year old season ticket holder in the Steve Bull stand. Go along with my two young lads who love the Wolves and so far, the positive times. Long may it continue.