Stuttering Bees are beaten at Charlton

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Charlton 3 Brentford 0

Brentford suffered their second successive defeat since manager Mark Warburton’s future was thrown into doubt – handing struggling Charlton their first victory since November.

Winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson fired the Addicks ahead on 27 minutes and the Bees rarely threatened before Igor Vetakele added a second before the hour mark.

Substitute Jon Toral, Jonathan Douglas and Alex Pritchard forced Stephen Henderson into decent saves as the game drew to a close but Frederic Bulot wrapped up a comprehensive win in stoppage time.

Warburton stressed following Tuesday’s defeat against Watford that his team had not lost focus despite ongoing speculation that he could be replaced in the summer.

But a side that included only two forced changes were uncharacteristically nervous and sloppy as Charlton dominated the opening half.

A curling effort from Gudmundsson forced former Charlton keeper David Button into an early save to his right before Button tipped wide a Tony Watt effort shortly after.

Only Jota threatened for Brentford with a deflected shot over the bar before Gudmundsson side-footed into the top
corner to give the hosts a deserved lead.

Striker Andre Gray had the best chance for Brentford before the break when the ball fell to him from eight yards out but his hesitation allowed his effort to be blocked and cleared.

The Bees committed more numbers forward after the break but were punished when Watt set up Vetekele on the break and the striker slotted home the second.

The introduction of Toral injected some life into the Bees but the Arsenal loanee missed with a volley over the bar from inside the box after previous efforts from Pritchard and Douglas had forced Henderson into diving saves.

But Bulot sealed Charlton’s fifth home win of the season in stoppage time when he finished hard and low into the far corner from an acute angle.

The result saw Brentford drop out of the play-off places.

Brentford (4-3-3): Button; Odubajo, Dean, Craig, Yennaris; Diagouraga (Toral 59), Douglas, Pritchard; Jota (Long 59), Gray, Dallas (Smith 59)
Subs not used: Bonham, Saunders, McCormack, Udumaga

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