MATCH PREVIEW: BRENTFORD (A)

29 October 2019

Everything you need to know prior to Brentford vs Town

- Preview ahead of Town’s trip to Griffin Park
- The lowdown on Thomas Frank’s side
- Town’s allocation is now sold out

Huddersfield Town make the trip to the capital on Saturday 2 November 2019 to face Brentford in the Sky Bet Championship; 3pm kick-off.

Danny Cowley’s side go into the first game of the new month off the back of an unbeaten October that included three wins and two draws.

Town are also six games unbeaten ahead of Saturday’s trip to Griffin Park following a 2-1 victory over Barnsley at the John Smith’s Stadium over the weekend.

The fixture is the Terriers’ first of back-to-back away games in the Sky Bet Championship, with a trip to Preston North End the following week.

THE OPPOSITION

The Bees come into the game in good form following three successive wins including a 3-1 victory in Monday night’s West London derby at Queens Park Rangers.

Forward Ollie Watkins continued his free scoring start to the campaign with a brace at Loftus Road, alongside a Saïd Benrahma penalty to ensure Brentford took all the derby day spoils in the capital.

Before that, Thomas Frank’s side had racked up back-to-back wins over Swansea City and Millwall, with the latter featuring a late comeback that saw them come from 2-0 down with just over five minutes of normal time remaining in the game.

Those wins have helped Brentford climb up the table, and just into the top half, as they currently sit 12th with 21 points from 14 games after a mixed start to the season.

ONES TO WATCH

HENRIK DALSGAARD

The defender joined the Bees back in 2017 from Belgian side Zulte Waregem following spells in both Belgium and his home country, Denmark. Since then, Brentford’s number 22 has made nearly 90 appearances for the West London Club, becoming a mainstay of their defence, particularly since Thomas Frank took charge as Head Coach in October 2018. Dalsgaard also has 25 senior international caps to his name for Denmark.

SAÏD BENRAHMA

Benrahma made the move to Griffin Park from French Club OGC Nice prior to the start of the 2018/19 season on a four-year deal. Following a slow start to his second season in England, the Algerian has two goals in his last two games including a penalty in Monday night’s win at QPR. The winger also has international experience, playing three times for the Algeria senior side.

OLLIE WATKINS

Having moved up the English football pyramid upon signing for the Bees from Exeter City in 2017, the forward has made more than a century of appearances for Brentford in just over two seasons at the Club. Now into his third year at Griffin Park, Watkins has had a prolific start to the campaign, finding the net 10 times in Brentford’s opening 14 Sky Bet Championship games. He’s currently second in the league’s top scorers list behind only Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrović (11).

TEAM NEWS – BRENTFORD

Prior to Monday night’s game at QPR, it was confirmed that forward Nikos Karelis would be out for a significant amount of time with a knee injury.

Sergio Canos and Luka Racic also missed the win at Loftus Road earlier in the week.

TEAM NEWS – TOWN

Manager Danny Cowley will give an update Huddersfield Town’s latest team news at his press conference on Thursday 31 October 2019.

Alex Pritchard made a return to the substitutes bench against Barnsley on Saturday whilst Terence Kongolo (calf), Herbert Bockhorn (hamstring) and Collin Quaner (hip) are yet to return.

TICKETS

Tickets in Town’s allocation for the game are now SOLD OUT!

KIT

The Terriers will be wearing the navy away kit at Griffin Park on Saturday – CLICK HERE to get yours! The shirt will also include a poppy emblem as it's Brentford's Remembrance Game.

iFollow HTAFC

Huddersfield Town fans that live outside the UK can watch the game live with an International Match Pass for £5.

Supporters who are in the UK will be able to listen to in-game commentary from the John Smith’s Stadium if they purchase an Audio Match Pass. The audio commentary is also available to those supporters who have monthly or season iFollow HTAFC passes.

Match Reports

REPORT: BRENTFORD 0-1 TOWN

2 November 2019

Karlan Grant goal seals another win for the Terriers!

Huddersfield Town’s superb run of form continued with arguably the best win of the set under Danny and Nicky Cowley to date, with Karlan Grant’s ninth of the season sealing a 1-0 victory at Brentford.

That win – a hard-working one against a quality Bees side – extended the current unbeaten run to seven games; Town’s best run since the 2016/17 promotion season.

The game had few clear-cut chances as Town negated the home side, although Kamil Grabara was needed to make one excellent stop in the second half, whilst the Terriers’ threat on the break grew as the game went on.

It was a superb counter that won the game, with London-born Grant finishing a fantastic move to seal the victory and send 1,600 Town fans home happy from the capital.

Town decided to press Brentford aggressively up the pitch, with Fraizer Campbell and the endless running of Lewis O’Brien disrupting the Brentford passing patterns. Brentford did start the game with a threat, however, as quick switches of play to right winger Bryan Mbeumo isolating Jaden Brown on a few occasions.

The Cowleys soon figured that one out and the chances came Town’s way. It took nearly 30 minutes for the first, with Juninho Bacuna finding Campbell with a high ball down the right channel. He nodded it back to O’Brien, who pushed the ball across the box to Grant. Karlan went on his left before shooting across goal, with goalkeeper Raya pulling off a good save low to his left to keep the ball out.

The Bees finally tested Grabara when dangerous winger Said Benrahma turned infield and hit a shot straight at the Pole, but the Liverpool loanee’s best save came in the 58th minute; a fine one-handed stop low to his right to keep out a header from centre back Julian Jeanvier, who met full back Henrik Dalsgaard’s deep cross.

The winner followed three minutes later, with a move started by Danny Simpson. The defender lifted an intelligent pass into the path of Campbell, who sensibly turned back on the edge of the box and pushed the ball to Grant. This time Karlan stepped inside onto his favoured right foot before unleashing a piledriver across Raya and into the far corner in front of the travelling supporters.

The excellent Jonathan Hogg picked up his fifth booking of the season as time ticked on, meaning he will miss the Preston game next weekend, whilst Jaden Brown and Campbell went off with knocks.

Town’s players will still managing the game well, with substitute Adama Diakhaby even putting a late counterattack wide.

The referee signalled six minutes of added time at the end of the game, which turned out to be nearer eight, but the best Brentford could muster was an effort from Benrahma that went wide of the near post.

Town’s team vs Brentford (4-3-3)
Kamil Grabara; Jaden Brown (Florent Hadergjonaj, 59’), Christopher Schindler (c), Tommy Elphick, Danny Simpson; Lewis O’Brien, Jonathan Hogg, Juninho Bacuna (Trevoh Chalobah, 76’); Karlan Grant, Fraizer Campbell (Adama Diakhaby, 68’), Elias Kachunga

Unused substitutes
Ryan Schofield; Alex Pritchard, Jon Gorenc Stanković, Kian Harratt

Town bookings
Elias Kachunga (55’), Jonathan Hogg (65’), Danny Simpson (87’), Adama Diakhaby (88’), Tommy Elphick (90+2’)

Gate
11,727

Town fans
1,644

Standings