Brentford held their nerve to record a famous shock as they knocked Everton out of the third round of the Carling Cup after a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Griffin Park on Tuesday night.
Despite going a goal down in the opening minutes, the Bees produced a tenacious display to draw level shortly before half time and then more than match their illustrious Premier League opponents during a cracking second half and throughout extra time to take the tie to penalties.
A jubilant Bees’ boss Andy Scott hailed the win as 'a big credit to us as a club, me as a manager and the players as players that we can win against their first team'.
Scott had recalled Richard Lee in place of the cup tied Ben Hamer and the keeper rewarded him with a man of the match display, capped by Everton’s Phil Jagielka hitting Lee’s left hand post with the decisive penalty to seal the upset win.
The Bees fell behind early when Yakubu and Marouane Fellani combined to set up Seamus Coleman and his crisp shot flew past Lee into the left hand corner.
Brentford eventually got up to speed and Gary Alexander threatened with a snap shot that flashed just wide of the post.
Everton survived Bees’ claims for a penalty after Diniyar Bilyaletdinov challenged Myles Weston inside the Toffee’s box.
Alexander drew Brentford level four minutes before the break when he powered a Weston cross from the left past Jan Mucha from six yards out.
The goal lifted Brentford and they continued to impress during the second half.
On the hour mark they wasted a glorious chance to take the lead after Coleman fouled Weston inside the box and Charlie MacDonald’s low penalty was saved by Mucha.
After this both sides enjoyed chances to win the game, with Lee producing some outstanding saves as he first denied Bilyaletdinov, before tipping a Mikel Arteta shot over the bar towards the end of extra time.
In between Toumani Diagouraga came close with a terrific 25 yard lob which was inches over, while Nicky Forster headed just over the bar and Craig Woodman saw his free kick in the final minutes well saved by Mucha.
So to penalties and after Weston, Forster and Michael Spillane had all converted for the Bees, Jermaine Beckford saw his penalty saved by Lee.
MacDonald redeemed himself by coolly slotting his attempt home and then watched in glee as Jagielka hit the post to set off scenes of jubilation as the Bees fans streamed onto the pitch to celebrate a famous cup scalp.
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