Reggae Boy Ethan Pinnock gave English Premier League side Brentford a flying start en route to a 3-2 win over west London rivals Fulham at the Gtech Community Centre on Monday night to keep their hopes of European football alive.
Thomas Frank’s side made a dazzling start and could have been three up before 29-year-old centre-back Ethan Pinnock’s shot deflected off Tim Ream to put Brentford ahead after only six minutes.
Striker Ivan Toney, a one-time Reggae Boyz target before he was called up to the England squad last September, was again the Bees’ talisman, making it 22 successes out of 22 from the penalty spot for Brentford as they closed to within three points of sixth-placed Newcastle United.
It was Toney’s 16th goal of the season and he was outstanding as Brentford secured a deserved victory. However, the 26-year-old is playing under a cloud and faces a lengthy ban after admitting to breaking Football Association betting rules.
Fulham is having a fine season of their own and drew level six minutes before the break when Israel forward Manor Solomon continued his rich vein of form, heading in the rebound after Andreas Pereira’s free-kick struck the post.
Brentford regained the momentum with both Bryan Mbeumo and Toney hitting the woodwork with free-kicks, and were awarded a 53rd-minute penalty when Issa Diop fouled Christian Norgaard.
Toney easily beat Bernd Leno with the spot-kick and Mathias Jensen sealed the win from close range five minutes from time following good work by Kevin Schade, although Carlos Vinicius pulled a goal back in stoppage-time for Fulham after their Reggae Boy Bobby Reid came on as a 75th-minute substitute.
In an electrifying Premier League contest on Sunday, another Reggae Boy target Demarai Gray put Everton ahead from the penalty spot 10 minutes following Jonjo Shelvey’s trip on Dwight McNeil but hosts Nottingham Forest twice fought back to claim a point in a 2-2 draw.
It was 26-year-old winger Gray’s sixth goal of the campaign.
Everton, who have won two of six games since Sean Dyche was appointed manager in January, remain in the bottom three on goal difference behind Leeds United.
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