Championship
ReadingReading1BrentfordBrentford3

Reading 1-3 Brentford: Josh Dasilva & Ivan Toney send Bees top of Championship

Josh Dasilva scores for Brentford
Josh Dasilva sent a curling shot into the far corner to put Brentford level in the first half

Brentford scored two late goals to come from behind and beat promotion rivals Reading to go top of the Championship.

A pulsating game was heading for a draw until the league's top scorer Ivan Toney chested a cross for Josh Dasilva to lash in, before scoring himself when a rebound fell into his path.

The hosts deservedly led through Lucas Joao's penalty, after Josh Laurent was brought down as he attempted to shoot.

But Dasilva levelled with a solo goal and the Bees' late pressure paid off.

Thomas Frank's side are now two points clear after overtaking long-time Championship leaders Norwich, stretching their extraordinary unbeaten league run to 21 matches.

Reading, meanwhile, are nine points further back, dropping below Watford into fifth after seeing a seven-game unbeaten streak of their own ended.

The Royals almost fell behind early on when the returning Andy Yiadom needed goalkeeper Rafael to prevent his attempted clearance from looping into his own goal.

But Veljko Paunovic's side otherwise started the stronger, Joao squeezing his spot-kick past Bees keeper David Raya, who got a hand to his well-placed shot but could not deny the Portugal striker a 19th goal of the campaign.

Brentford forward Dasilva was recalled to the side after sitting out their victories over Bristol City and Middlesbrough and showed immense quality to beat his man down the right, cut inside and bend the ball high into the far corner to equalise.

Joao and Laurent drew strong saves from Raya, with Joao also prevented a clear sight of goal from an excellent Ethan Pinnock recovery challenge, as Reading finished the half well on top.

As a second half high on intensity but low on chances wore on the visitors began to turn the screw, with only a last-ditch Michael Morrison clearance stopping Toney from converting a low Dasilva cross.

However, with four minutes remaining the pressure finally told.

First, Toney nonchalantly chested a looping cross for Dasilva to emphatically finish from close range, before the former Peterborough striker notched his 23rd goal of the season, gobbling up a rebound after Sergi Canos' low effort from outside the box was parried back out by Rafael.

Reading manager Veljko Paunovic told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"I'm proud of the performance, the work rate and the spirit shown. All the pieces were there, we just couldn't quite see it out.

"Until the second goal, we showed a fantastic performance. The key was getting that second goal in the second half and we have to learn that one goal is not enough against sides like this, we have to keep pushing.

"We have to be proud of this performance and embrace it and look to consistently put those sort of performances in fitness-wise and try to be more decisive."

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:

"There weren't many chances throughout the game and Reading started with an unbelievable tempo in the first half. Big, big credit to them, they pressed us very aggressively in the first half.

"Second half, I felt we were more on top and upped the tempo in everything we did. If there was going to be a winner, I felt it was going to be us. So it's a very good win against a very good side.

"In games like this, you need your top players like Josh [Dasilva] to step up and deliver. A bit of brilliance was what we were looking for.

"Of course we're pleased to be top, but it doesn't matter. It's the next game that matters the most and we know that when we keep being unbeaten, it's going to be harder to win the next one."

Line-ups

Reading

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 33Cabral Barbosa
  • 17Yiadom
  • 4Morrison
  • 5McIntyre
  • 3RichardsBooked at 74mins
  • 8Rinomhota
  • 28Laurent
  • 7Olise
  • 30SemedoSubstituted forAlukoat 77'minutes
  • 14EjariaSubstituted forHolmesat 90+3'minutes
  • 18Lucas João

Substitutes

  • 2Pontes Esteves
  • 9Baldock
  • 15Gibson
  • 22Southwood
  • 24Aluko
  • 29Holmes
  • 34Tetek
  • 46Onen
  • 50Camara

Brentford

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Raya
  • 22Dalsgaard
  • 5Pinnock
  • 29Bech Sørensen
  • 3Henry
  • 14DasilvaSubstituted forZamburekat 90+2'minutes
  • 27Janelt
  • 8JensenSubstituted forForssat 90+2'minutes
  • 19MbeumoSubstituted forCanósat 64'minutes
  • 17Toney
  • 24Fosu-HenrySubstituted forGhoddosat 80'minutes

Substitutes

  • 7Canós
  • 15Forss
  • 20Ghoddos
  • 23Reid
  • 28Daniels
  • 30Rasmussen
  • 31Zamburek
  • 36Stevens
  • 37Gilbert
Referee:
Tony Harrington

Match Stats

Home TeamReadingAway TeamBrentford
Possession
Home46%
Away54%
Shots
Home8
Away5
Shots on Target
Home3
Away4
Corners
Home9
Away5
Fouls
Home17
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Reading 1, Brentford 3.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Reading 1, Brentford 3.

  3. Post update

    Sergi Canós (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Andy Yiadom (Reading).

  5. Post update

    Corner, Reading. Conceded by Ivan Toney.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Michael Olise (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Reading. Thomas Holmes replaces Ovie Ejaria.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Brentford. Jan Zamburek replaces Josh Dasilva.

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Brentford. Marcus Forss replaces Mathias Jensen because of an injury.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Mathias Jensen (Brentford).

  11. Post update

    Lucas João (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  12. Goal!

    Goal! Reading 1, Brentford 3. Ivan Toney (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.

  13. Post update

    Attempt saved. Sergi Canós (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mathias Jensen.

  14. Goal!

    Goal! Reading 1, Brentford 2. Josh Dasilva (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Ivan Toney.

  15. Post update

    Vitaly Janelt (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Lucas João (Reading).

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Brentford. Saman Ghoddos replaces Tariqe Fosu-Henry.

  18. Post update

    Tariqe Fosu-Henry (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Omar Richards (Reading).

  20. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Lucas João (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Andy Rinomhota.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Wednesday 10th February 2021

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Brentford28169355282757
2Norwich28167535231255
3Swansea27158435152053
4Watford28139631201148
5Reading2814684132948
6Bournemouth28129743281545
7Middlesbrough28117103128340
8Blackburn271161041291239
9Stoke2891273229339
10Bristol City28123132933-439
11Cardiff28107113732537
12Preston28113143236-436
13Barnsley27106112934-536
14Millwall2871472626035
15Luton2797112229-734
16QPR2789102632-633
17Huddersfield2896133139-833
18Nottm Forest2888122530-532
19Coventry28710112637-1131
20Rotherham2785143338-529
21Sheff Wed2897122130-928
22Derby2777131728-1128
23Birmingham28610122134-1328
24Wycombe2737171847-2916
View full Championship table