Brentford denied victory by late Leeds equaliser
Brentford 1 Leeds United 1
Sam Saunders’ first Brentford goal in more than a year wasn’t enough to secure back-to-back victories as Mustapha Carayol scored an equaliser six minutes from time.
Saunders put the Bees ahead on 28 minutes as he strode through the middle before picking out the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.
David Button made three good saves to preserve his side’s lead, and while Brentford played some attractive football they failed to create enough clear chances.
And when Jake Bidwell’s poor control presented the ball to Carayol, the substitute made him pay by curling home to wreck the Bees’ chances of a first clean sheet since Boxing Day.
Saunders, who had last netted in a Brentford shirt on Boxing Day of 2014, ended a 420-minute drought by taking advantage of a backpedalling Leeds defence before firing home.
Mirco Antenucci – who had come on after 19 minutes for the injured Chris Wood – almost responded immediately but saw his shot from distance clawed behind by Button.
Alan Judge, who Brentford hope to keep out of the clutches of Sheffield Wednesday, fired narrowly over the bar, while at the other end a fine challenge from Harlee Dean denied Antenucci another shooting opportunity.
Leeds were straight on the attack after the break and Button denied both Antenucci and former Bees winger Stuart Dallas in a double save, while Souleymane Doukara chipped inches wide from 40 yards with the keeper off his line.
Toumani Diagouraga, who left Griffin Park for Elland Road on Monday, came on for his Leeds debut after an hour and the midfielder – who only scored seven times in more than 220 appearances for Brentford – was greeted with ironic shouts of ‘shoot’ every time he touched the ball.
Leeds applied pressure but found the Bees’ defence in uncompromising form – that was until Bidwell’s scuffed clearance found Carayol and the Middlesbrough loanee clipped in the equaliser.
Steve Evans’ side could have won it in injury time but Button made another good save as Doukara had a try from distance.
Brentford: Button; Colin, Dean, Barbet, Bidwell; McEachran, Woods; Saunders (Gogia 64), Judge, Swift (Yennaris 88); Vibe (Djuricin 64).
Subs not used: Bonham, O’Connell, Kerschbaumer, Hofmann.
