Albion forced to settle for point against Brentford

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Bruce Talbot

2024-12-27T21:30+00:00

Kaoru Mitoma fired into the side netting with a excellent half volley. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion's final home game of 2024 ended in a goalless draw against Brentford.

Although Bees’ keeper Mark Flekken had to go off injured after 34 minutes, he’d already earned his corn with some fine saves as Albion peppered the visitors’ goal in the first half, with Julio Enciso having eight shots himself – the most by any player in the opening 45 of a Premier League game since Luis Suarez in 2013 – including one effort which hit the post.

But Albion’s composure in front of goal and their final pass often deserted them. By the end Fabian Hurzeler had used nine attacking players with Solly March returning after 13 months out to a standing ovation. A bright note at the end of a frustrating night.

Solly March returned to Premier League action. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Enciso made his first Premier League start of the campaign and nearly celebrated it with a fifth-minute goal. Flekken’s pass out went straight to Carlos Baleba. He found Joao Pedro who quickly passed to Enciso, but his right-foot shot curled past Flekken and came back off the post. Flekken then pushed out Baleba’s low drive as Albion made a promising start.

Enciso went close again in the 13th minute. Brajan Gruda’s cross-field ball to Kaoru Mitoma gave him space and time to pick out his cross. Enciso, arriving late, connected well but his header was straight at Flekken.

Albion had a let-off moments later when Yoane Wissa lashed a powerful shot into the far corner, but was marginally offside. Normal service soon resumed. Wissa conceded a free kick in the D but Flekken got right behind Gruda’s strike and then saved Brentford again in the 20th minute. O’Riley slalomed past two tackles but Flekken flung himself down to his right to push his shot away.

Julio Enciso struck the post in the opening three minutes. 📷 by Simon Roe.

An unconventional but effective block with his foot by Flekken kept out Mitoma’s shot. The Bees’ No1 could do nothing when Gruda set up Enciso in lots of space 15 yards out, but the shot drifted disappointingly wide.

Not for the first time this season, the visiting keeper was having an inspired game but Flekken’s night ended through injury and Enciso immediately tested his replacement Hákon Valdimarsson from 20 yards.

O’Riley was next to threaten with a left-foot shot that took a deflection before Mitoma volleyed into the side netting. Albion went off at the break wondering how they hadn’t taken a commanding lead.

Matt O'Riley's strike looked bound for the top corner but deflected narrowly wide. 📷 by James Boardman.

Their first flowing move of the second half ended with Joao forcing Valdimarsson into a comfortable save but it wasn’t a clean enough strike. At the other end, Jan Paul van Hecke blocked Wissa’s shot and Bart Verbruggen was grateful to see Christian Nørgaard’s scissor kick go just wide. Brentford were offering more of a threat.

Fabian Hurzeler freshened things up midway through the half when he brought on Yankuba Minteh, Simon Adingra and Yasin Ayari but Wissa should have done better when played in by Bryan Mbeumo, Verbruggen saving his tame effort.

At least the game ended on a positive note with March’s return at right-back and he wasn’t far away from winning it deep into stoppage time but a right-foot shot from the edge of the box went a yard over.

Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman (March 87), van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan, Baleba, O’Riley (Ayari 67), Gruda (Minteh 67), Mitoma (Adingra 67), Enciso (Rutter 77), Joao Pedro.