Brentford 1 Everton 1 (Brentford win 4-3 on penalties): Keeper Lee the hero as Moyes suffers cup shock

By Sportsmail Reporter

Go low: brave Brentford's Richard Lee saves a penalty from Everton's Jermaine Beckford


Full-blooded Carling Cup nights against lower-league opposition can certainly be a double-edged sword for top-flight teams struggling to get their seasons going.

Everton found that out at Griffin Park as League One Brentford showed no sympathy for their opponents' current plight by sending them crashing out of the Carling Cup on penalties.

David Moyes' side return to Merseyside desperate for lift-off at Fulham on Saturday. They had travelled to Griffin Park in need of a much-needed confidence boost having taken just two points from their opening five Barclays Premier League encounters, leaving them one place off the bottom.

Despite the relative quality of Everton's personnel they were matched stride for stride by plucky Brentford, who made a mockery of their own poor start to the season.

Reserve goalkeeper Richard Lee, only playing because Ben Hamer - on loan from Reading - was cup-tied, became the penalty hero. But to a man, Brentford's heroes deserve praise for the way they stood firm.

Moyes bemoaned his side's inability to put the game to bed when they had plenty of chances to do so early on. When they did not, he admitted to feeling this was not going to be his team's night.Afterwards he conceded he must eradicate fears that this is not going to be Everton's season.

'I have got a job on now. I'll need to manage, to get to work,' he said. 'I'll take responsibility and try to get things changed around. I am always concerned about it, any manager in this position would be. '


Up for it: Gary Alexander heads home the equaliser for Brentford


'You want points on the board and you do not want to get knocked out of the cup. We had a poor performance on Saturday and tonight's performance on top of that is not very good. We have just not been getting the clinical bit at the end which matters.'

Everton were ahead after five minutes through youngster Seamus Coleman after a neat passing move involving Yakubu and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.But they failed to make their pressure count, Lee denying Yakubu.


Pressure: Everton manager David Moyes


Brentford were denied a penalty after a clumsy tackle by Bilyaletdinov on the hugely impressive Myles Weston but with five minutes of the half remaining, the home fans were out of their seats celebrating the equaliser.

Loose play from Bilyaletdinov gifted possession to Weston, who launched another raid down the left. Gary Alexander made the most of the Brentford winger's cross, rising at the far post to power home a header.

Moyes presumably did not hold back in the away dressing room but his words did not have much of an effect. And with 57 minutes played Brentford were handed a golden chance to book their place in the fourth round when Weston dragged back Coleman in the box.

Charlie MacDonald stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick but his strike did not ask enough questions of Jan Mucha, who parried with relative ease.

Moyes was forced to turn to the combined talents of Steven Pienaar and Mikel Arteta, quite some compliment for Brentford. Lee pulled off a superb double stop to deny Coleman his second and Everton's winner at the death.

In extra time, Jermaine Beckford came on for Yakubu but did little to worry the Brentford defence, although Weston was required to clear Phil Jagielka's header off the line.

And so to spot-kicks, the teams going toe-to-toe through the opening six spot-kicks before Beckford stepped up for his turn.

His walk to the 18-yard box was accompanied by a cacophony of boos; the locals recalling how they faced the ex-Leeds striker not long ago.


Some people are on the pitch: Brentford fans celebrate their victory


Beckford fired his penalty at the perfect height for Lee, who, diving the right way, edged his side ahead for the first time.

MacDonald kept his nerve to atone for his earlier penalty miss, smashing it down the middle to leave Mucha stranded. Delirious scenes were sparked when Jagielka hit the bottom of Lee's left-hand post with his spot-kick.The only sour note for Brentford was the supporter who threw a bottle into the away end.

Moyes spotted the offender among the joyous pitch invaders and has offered to help police identify him.

That should not detract from a great night for Brentford and their manager Andy Scott, who had words of praise for Moyes.

'The way he does things is a model for people like me,' said Scott. 'It was a fantastic performance. We had to withhold spells of pressure but we gave as good as we got. Our game plan worked to perfection which is very satisfying.'


source: dailymail