FA Cup 4th Round

BARNET 3 Brentford 3

Barnet produced another excellent performance to earn a replay against Championship Brentford twice coming from behind on a pulsating night at the Hive. In front of a record crowd Darren Currie’s Bees will feel they were unlucky not to have booked a fifth round trip to Swansea after replays clearly showed Brentford’s Ollie Watkin’s dived to earn his side a second half penalty. The West London side came closest to scoring in a phrenetic first half when Moses Odubajo’s shot came back off the post. Barnet’s best opportunity was Dan Sweeney’s header which was turned over the bar by Luke Daniels.

Two goals in three second half minutes from Shaq Coulthirst turned the game on its head the first finished from Ephron Mason-Clark’s pinpoint cross, the second driven home after Wes Fonguck persistence set up the opportunity. Brentford drew level on the hour when David Tutonda’s challenge on Watkins was adjudged to be a penalty by the referee. Top scorer Neal Maupay sending debutant keeper Will Huffer the wrong way from the spot kick. When Sergi Canos completed an excellent move with 19 minutes remaining to put the visitors 3-2 up it looked as if the Championship side had finally taken control. Barnet though had other ideas substitute Dan Sparkes sending a sublime free kick into the top left hand corner to put the home side level. In a frantic finish Huffer saved superbly from Benrahma and Odubajo hit the post again. A defeat though would have been rough justice on Darren Currie’s side who more than matched opponents 71 places above them in footballs hierarchy.

Bees: Huffer, Alexander, Tutonda, Johnson, Sweeney, Robson, Fonguck (Sparkes), Elito (Boucard), J.Taylor, Mason-Clark, Coulthirst.

Attendance: 6,215

HRBSport Man of the Match: The Team

Could get confusing at The Hive tonight with both sets of fans chanting “Come on You Bees!” That’s though is where the similarity between the two teams stops with Brentford 18th in the Championship Barnet will be looking to close a 71 place gap in footballs hierarchy. The North London Bees are looking to reach the 5th round of the FA Cup for the first time and Darren Currie’s team will know their prospective opponents with the draw being made before kick off.

The newly installed boss has been robbed of the ability to name an unchanged line up for the sixth straight game thanks to suspensions to Charlee Adams and Mark Cousins. While Cousins absence after being red carded at Braintree is a straight forward one controversy surrounds midfielder Adams who has fallen foul of the new FA rule which makes cards competition specific. Two yellow cards in Barnet’s five FA Cup ties to this point produced a ban while tonight’s opponents having only played one game are at full strength. The inequality is likely to lead to a rule change next season but tonight it leaves Darren Currie with a tough decision. 20 year old Will Huffer has been signed on loan from Leeds to cover Cousins place in goal but filling the hole left in midfield by Adams absence is more problematic. Options include recalling Wes Fonguck, switching Dan Sweeney from the back four or risking Andre Boucard who’s been out since September.

Brentford are in good form, unbeaten in seven they have won their last three including a first away league win at Rotherham last time out. Manager Thomas Frank named a strong line-up against Oxford in the last round and is expected to follow suit tonight. It will be interesting to see if he plays 17 goal top scorer Neal Maupay or leaves the talented Frenchman on the bench.

The two teams have met once before in the competition but while tonight’s action will be screened live on BT Sport in 1925 John Logie Baird will still getting to grips with his invention as Brentford beat Barnet 3-1 in the FA Cup 1st Round. Recent history has seen Barnet beat Brentford only twice in 15 attempts. Both wins came in the Football League Trophy on penalties in 2011 and memorably 6-3 at Griffin Park in 1991.

We’ll have coverage of all the action on an HRB Sport FA Cup Special with Pete Hill and Garry Lakin live at the Hive.

Brentford Fact: John Quincy Adams sixth President of the USA lived in Brentford for two years.