Alex Jakubiak’s hat-trick denied Brentford the three points as Watford came from 3-1 down to draw their U21 Professional Development League Two South clash at Clarence Park this afternoon.
The Bees had won the previous encounter between the two sides 4-3 back in November and from the outset it was clear that goals would not be in short supply again this time round. Jakubiak capitalised on a Nik Tzanev error to give the hosts a first-half lead but that was cancelled out by Bradley Clayton’s penalty.
Andy Gogia struck twice in five minutes after the break to put The Bees in control but again Jakubiak hit back as he neatly finished Mahlondo Martin’s through ball. It appeared that Flemming Pedersen’s side would hold on for the win but the Watford frontman popped up deep into injury time to poke home from close range to steal a point for Harry Kewell’s side.
Attacking down a considerable slope at Clarence Park, The Bees dominated possession in the opening stages. However The Hornets, with the pace of Jakubiak and Dennon Lewis up front, were happy to play on the break and that led to an entertaining encounter.
Tzanev did well to turn over Lewis’ drive from the edge of the box while Jan Holldack had The Bees first effort on goal as he exchanged passes with Clayton but Nathan Gartside was quickly off his line to make a block save.
Connor Smith dragged a shot wide and Tzanev beat away a powerful effort from Jakubiak before the Brentford keeper somehow denied George Byers from close range with an instinctive reaction save to keep the scores level.
At the other end Gartside was not to be outdone, plunging to save from Lewis Macleod and then recovering quickly to tip Clayton’s follow up header away from danger. A lightening break from The Bees brought another fine stop from the Watford guardian as James Ferry tried to beat him low down at his near post.
Watford did break the deadlock midway through the half as Tzanev slipped in the soggy goalmouth trying to deal with Chris Mepham’s backpass allowing Jakubiak to nip in and poke home into an unguarded net.
The goal did little to alter the flow of the match as Brentford continued to dominate possession and territory but there was less in the way of goalmouth action as the half wore on. Tom Field’s deflected shot bounced through harmlessly to Gartside and Tzanev made another smart save to again deny Byers from close range: the returning Joel Ekstrand planted a header wide from the resulting corner.
Just as it looked like The Hornets would take their advantage into the interval, Clayton’s run into the box invited an untidy, and unnecessary, challenge from Matthew Hall which left Kieran Bailey no option but to point to the spot: Clayton calmly sent Gartside the wrong way to level with the final kick of the half.
The opening minutes of the second-half saw little in the way of goalmouth action but when a chance did present itself The Bees went ahead. Hall’s poor pass out of defence fell kindly for Clayton and he squared for Gogia to slot home from 12 yards. The summer signing was at it again four minutes later, this time running onto Lewis Macleod’s through ball and passing the ball under Gartside and into the back of the net.
Reece Cole slammed over the bar from 25 yards but then, out of nowhere, Watford found a way back into the match as Jakubiak beat The Bees offside trap and finished from Martin’s through ball. The chances continued to come as the half wore on with Gartside turning over a point blank header from Holldack before Gogia’s curling effort flew inches past the post.
Despite conceding three goals Gartside was having a wonderful afternoon in the hosts’ goal and he made another fine save to keep his side in the match, this time Clayton the man denied from close range. Tzanev was nearly embarrassed as his poor goal kick fell at the feet of Byers but his effort from 45 yards bounced narrowly wide.
The Bees had a great chance to make the game safe with 12 minutes to play but substitute Herson Rodrigues Alves lifted his effort from six yards over the bar after Field’s cross had evaded the home defenders.
That would be Field’s last action of the match as he limped off shortly after following a crunching challenge with Byers and Pedersen’s side were dealt another blow with Alves pulling up in the closing minutes leaving The Bees with nine men. The Hornets pilled forward with Lewis shooting wide after cutting inside onto his left foot.
It looked like The Bees had held on to move within two points of second-placed Millwall but Kewell’s side struck deep into injury time. There appeared to be a clear foul on Cole in the build-up but the referee played on and Jakubiak got the decisive touch to bundle the ball home from inside the six yard box.
Watford: Nathan Gartside; Andrew Eleftheriou, Joel Ekstrand (sub Alfie Young 46 mins), Matthew Hall (sub Michael Folivi 61 mins), Josh Doherty; Connor Smith, Carl Stewart, George Byers, Mahlondo Martin (sub Bernard Mensah 74 mins); Alex Jakubiak, Dennon Lewis Subs: Luke Simpson, Brandon Mason
Brentford: Nik Tzanev; Josh Clarke (sub Audrius Laucys 71 mins), Chris Mepham, Gradi Milenge, Tom Field; James Ferry, Reece Cole; Andy Gogia (sub Herson Rodrigues Alves 71 mins), Jan Holldack (sub Josh Laurent 71 mins), Lewis Macleod; Bradley Clayton Subs: Cameron Greaves, Courtney Senior