Two for Watkins as Bees hit back to crush Blackburn

Brentford 5 Blackburn 2


Ollie Watkins scored twice as Brentford overturned a dreadful start to beat in-form Blackburn and record their third straight Championship victory.

The Bees were trailing 2-0 inside seven minutes, but they fought back to secure the points in emphatic style with Said Benrahma, Neal Maupay and Sergi Canos also on target.

Only 90 seconds had elapsed when the visitors snatched the lead as Adam Armstrong broke on the right and crossed for top scorer Bradley Dack to slam a first-time shot beyond Dan Bentley.

Brentford’s defence were caught out again just five minutes later when Harrison Reed whipped over a free-kick and Danny Graham rose to direct his header into the roof of the net.

But Benrahma, who was the Bees’ most dangerous player throughout, halved the deficit in the 12th minute, playing a one-two with Kamohelo Mokotjo and tucking the ball into the far corner.

Both sides had chances to alter the scoreline again before half-time, with Armstrong and Dack going close and Rovers goalkeeper David Raya clawing Benrahma’s free-kick onto the bar.

Raya also denied Watkins at the start of the second half, but he was helpless to prevent the Bees forward from making it 2-2 with a right-foot drive that zipped past him with the aid of a deflection.

The keeper’s error 17 minutes from time – when he charged out and got nowhere near Maupay’s cross – enabled Watkins to head his second into an empty net.

Benrahma set up Maupay to score the Bees’ fourth goal a few minutes later before making way for Sergi Canos, who wrapped up a remarkable comeback by collecting Watkins’ pass to slot in the fifth in injury time.

Brentford: Bentley; Dalsgaard, Konsa, Jeanvier, Barbet, Henry (Odubajo 45); Mokotjo (McEachran 85), Sawyers; Watkins, Maupay, Benrahma (Canos 79)