Gills 1 Bees 1

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A draw places Bees third in the table

It was honours even at Priestfield on Saturday with a red card and a goal for each team in a high tempo but occasionally ill tempered match which leaves Brentford third in the table.

Brentford started the game in the ascendency and eventually got the breakthrough in the 28th minute via top scorer Charlie Macdonald after some comically bad Gillingham defending. Macdonald later left the pitch as he was suffering with flu - to be replaced by Marvin Williams who played very very well and probably deserves a start next week.

Gillingham equalised through Simeon Jackson / an own goal (delete as applicable) in the 60th minute shortly before the "fun" really started.

In the 69th minute Nathan Elder reacted to an alleged headbutt from former loanee Bee Garry Richards before raising his hands to the defender sparking both a 20 man melee and a red card. Richards escaped without punishment despite the 4th official seeing the incident before later denying that he had witnessed it - infuriating Brentford manager Andy Scott - "The ref didn't even speak to the fourth official. If it has been ten men each then we would have gone on to win the game".

The Battling Bees (tm) held on though, and Gillingham were themselves reduced to ten men when skipper Barry Fuller brought down Marvin Williams. Fuller had been booked in the earlier brawl, but this was a straight red card.

Brentford had Ben Hamer to thank for holding on to a point after two smart saves in the final minutes of the match :

Bees - Hamer, O'Connor, Phillips, Bennett, Dickson, Bowditch (Halls), Osborne, Bean, Wood, Elder, Macdonald (Williams)

Subs not used - Anderson, Scannell, Johnson

Thanks to beesotted for the match report

December 27, 2008