Scott Hogan double gets Brentford back on track against Burton
Scott Hogan's double enabled Brentford to end a four-game losing streak with a hard fought 2-1 win over Burton.
Hogan gave the hosts the lead on 11 minutes when he latched onto a perfectly weighted Romaine Sawyers through ball to fire home first time from 12 yards.
But the visitors hit back just before the half hour when Lucas Atkins stripped Andreas Bjelland for pace down the right wing and squared for Jamie Ward to sweep home from just inside the box.
Leading scorer Hogan had the final say midway through the second half when he raced onto a Josh McEachran through ball to round the keeper and slot home from the tightest of angles.
Referee David Coote incensed both sets of fans with a string of inconsistent decisions, handing out nine yellow cards in a game that was competitive but never really dirty.
He let a series of hefty challenges from a physical Burton side go and then disallowed a Hogan effort when he beat Ben Turner to the ball to a 50-50 ball to run on and fire home.
Hogan could have given the Londoners a dream start when he got behind the Burton defence and bore down on goal but his toe poked effort was pushed wide by keeper Jon McLaughlin.
Ward gave Dean Smith's side a reminder of the threat the Brewers posed on 24 minutes when he angled a low drive just past the far post as the hesitant Bees defence stood off.
His equaliser came as no surprise to the subdued Griffin Park crowd, whose side move into 16th with their first home win since the end of September.
Minutes after the leveller, defender John Egan should have given the hosts the lead again but his powerful header from Sawyers' cross was saved at full stretch by McLaughlin.
Hogan thought he had grabbed his second of the game just before the half hour when he chased down a lofted through ball and lobbed the keeper only to see his effort bounce back off the upright.
Referee David Coote incensed the home crowd when he failed to show a card to Albion's big defender Ben Turner for his aerial challenge on keeper Daniel Bentley.
Burton offered little after the break but looked dangerous until the ball dropped in the box, where Brentford's defence were always first.
Jackson Irvine went closest for Albion with a sizzling low drive with 10 minutes remaining, but Button was equal to it.
Brentford pressed on tentatively but Nico Yennaris and Ryan Woods saw shots charged down by a resolute Burton rearguard.
One of the biggest cheers of the day came when referee Coote awarded Brentford a free kick with minutes remaining.
Young substitute Tom Field almost eased the home fans' nerves at the end but his far post header from a Colin cross was bundled off the line by Turner.
Tempers flared in injury time as Lasse Vibe, who had earlier squandered a golden opportunity to seal the points with a heavy first touch, dived in on the big defender, sparking a 15-man brawl which saw the official hand out three yellow cards.
Source : PA
Source: PA