2002
Saturday 14 December
On this day 19 years ago, Brentford earned a battling 2-1 win over a Chesterfield side that finished the Division Two (now League One) game with nine men.
Stephen Hunt curled in a tremendous free-kick to put us ahead in the sixth minute, but seven minutes later Chris Brandon equalised with a screamer from 25 yards.
Rowan Vine restored our lead shortly after half-time by heading home Jay Smith’s cross, and the visitors then lost their composure.
Rob Edwards was sent off just past the hour mark for a second booking, before Steve Blatherwick followed him down the tunnel in the 80th minute for a professional foul on Stephen Evans.
The win moved us up three places into the last Play-Off spot on 32 points, two clear of four clubs including Chesterfield and QPR.
Line-up: P Smith, O’Connor, Dobson, Sonko, Marshall, Rowlands, J Smith (Fullarton 51), Hunt, Somner, Evans (McCammon 86), Vine. Subs not used: Julian, Frampton, Williams
On the same afternoon, Manchester United swept aside West Ham 3-0 in the Premier League to go joint top of the table with Arsenal.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed in Phil Neville’s cross for their 13th-minute opener, and two minutes later Juan Sebastián Veron doubled the lead with a brilliant free-kick.
The points were secured just past the hour mark when The Hammers’ Sébastien Schemmel turned a Gary Neville cross into his own net after a 22-pass move.
Line-up: Barthez, Brown, Silvestre, G Neville, O’Shea (Blanc 73), Giggs, Veron, Scholes (Forlan 73), P Neville, Solskjaer (Beckham 45), van Nistelrooy. Subs not used: Ricardo, Richardson
2013
Saturday 14 December / Sunday 15 December
Jonathan Douglas struck in the third minute of second-half stoppage-time on this day eight years ago to give Brentford a 1-0 win over Oldham in Mark Warburton’s first game as Bees Manager.
Douglas headed home substitute Sam Saunders’ cross to give the perfect start to Warburton, who had been appointed three days earlier following Uwe Rösler’s decision to take over at Wigan.
It was our eighth win in nine games and moved us up a place to third in the League One table, three points behind second-placed Wolves and a further point adrift of leaders Leyton Orient.
Line-up: Button, McCormack, Bidwell, Craig, Dean, Saville (El Alagui 81), Douglas, Forshaw, Donaldson, Grigg (Trotta 66), Harris (Saunders 60). Subs not used: Lee, O’Connor, Logan, Reeves
Manchester United played on the Sunday of that weekend and two early goals from Danny Welbeck set up a 3-0 Premier League win at Aston Villa.
He tucked in a rebound in the 15th minute and then doubled the lead three minutes later from Antonio Valencia’s cross.
Tom Cleverley sealed the points from Wayne Rooney’s pass seven minutes into the second half.
The win took David Moyes’s side up to eighth in the table, ten points behind leaders Arsenal.
Line-up: De Gea, Rafael, Evra, Jones, Evans, Giggs (Fletcher 70), Cleverley, Valencia, Januzaj (Young 69), Rooney (Zaha 84), Welbeck. Subs not used: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Da Silva, Buttner.
This article was produced for tonight's Manchester United matchday programme, production of which was halted last night after the postponement of the game was confirmed by the Premier League Board.
As such, there will be no Match Programme available to purchase until the time of the rearranged fixture. The rearranged match details will be confirmed and communicated in due course.
Our supplier ACA are contacting everyone who pre-ordered a copy of tonight’s Match Programme. Purchasers have the option to leave their order in place for the rearranged fixture, or to receive a full refund. ACA can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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