Djuricin scores winner as Bees hit back to beat Preston

PA-24162513
Brentford 2 Preston 1


Marco Djuricin scored the winner on his home debut as Brentford recovered from a disastrous start to earn their first victory in five games.

A reshuffled Bees defence was punctured after just 32 seconds, Daniel Johnson finishing after keeper David Button had blocked from Stevie May.

But Lasse Vibe equalised and Djuricin then struck to give the home side all three points.

Preston were well on top after  going ahead, with the influential May heading just wide, firing a shot narrowly over and testing Button with a free-kick.

Brentford weathered that storm and were denied an equaliser by an outstanding save from Jordan Pickford, who flew to his left to palm away a goalbound Yoann Barbet header.

They continued to play on the front foot after the break, Vibe’s shot flying wide via a deflection and Alan Judge rippling the side netting with a free-kick.

And they turned the game on its head with two goals in five minutes midway through the second half.

The equaliser was inspired by substitute Sergi Canos, the Liverpool loanee showing dazzling footwork just seconds after coming on and laying into the path of Vibe to stab home from close range.

And Djuricin fired Brentford ahead when he beat a defender to a through ball before applying an emphatic finish for his second goal in three games.

Brentford: Button; Clarke (Canos 60), Dean, Barbet, Bidwell; McCormack, Diagouraga; Vibe (O’Connell 90), Kerschbaumer, Judge; Djuricin (Udumaga 78).
Subs not used: Bonham, Woods, Tebar, Williams.