Muskwe scores, team humiliated BITTER SWEET WEEKEND . . . Zimbabwe international striker, Admiral Muskwe, scored his first goal in the English Championship on Saturday but his team ended at the wrong end of a seven-goal humiliation

ZIMBABWE international forward, Admiral Muskwe, scored his first goal in the English Championship on Saturday but ended on the wrong end of a seven-goal demolition exercise by a rampant Brentford.

The 22-year-old striker is at Wycombe Wanderers on loan, until the end of the season, as part of the programme to help him develop into the player which his parent club, English Premiership side Leicester City, believe he could become.

Muskwe arrived at Wycombe in the first week of last month after having spent another loan stint at Swindon Town.

Leicester City have high hopes in the Zimbabwean and believe he could develop into someone capable of challenging for a place in their first team.

The Warrior headed home his first goal for Wycombe Wanderers to tie the game 2-2 at the break but the visitors lost their way, in the second half, as Brentford, who many believe are favourites to earn a place in the Premiership next season, ran riot. to win 7-2.

“Muskwe timed his run perfectly and was there to head the ball home and to get his first goal for Wycombe,’’ the Wycombe official website reported.

It was a humbling defeat for Muskwe and his teammates who tomorrow will celebrate Richard Dobson’s 500th match as assistant manager of the Chairboys.

Despite the humiliation, team manager, Gareth Ainsworth, said he still believed in his men.

“This is a great bunch. But we’re being tested now more than we’ve ever been tested before. We have to believe we can win games and put points on the board,’’ he said.

“There were positives, but a lot of negatives. I don’t accept defeats like that. I’ll be working them hard this week, on the training pitch and in the video sessions.

“We lost our concentration and focus after feeling hard done-by after the decisions for the third and fourth goals. We’ve had a long discussion after the game and know what we need to do to put things right.

“Brentford were super with their finishes. The referee was wrong with the penalty but we can’t let things like affect us. It wasn’t good enough but there were one or two positives despite a lot of negatives.

“I’m not a character who accepts defeats like that well. It hurts me big time and I will be working these boys hard this week. I won’t criticise them in public because the buck stops with me.

“I’m the manager and we have a game in three days to put this right. I knew it would be tough coming to Brentford but at half-time there is no way I saw 7-2 coming.

“The next six games we need points on the board or we will be cut adrift.”

High-flying Brentford made it 18 league games unbeaten with this convincing victory.

Goals from Ethan Pinnock, Sergi Canos, Josh Dasilva and two apiece for Tariqe Fosu and Ivan Toney did the damage, although the latter may well stake a post-match claim for his first Bees hat-trick by claiming he got the final touch on one of Fosu’s efforts.

Early first-half equalisers from Uche Ikpeazu and Muskwe had made the promotion-chasers sweat in an end-to-end opening 45 minutes.

Brentford took an early lead when centre-back Pinnock arrived in the box to half-volley Mathias Jensen’s corner into the net through a sea of legs after nine minutes.

But Wycombe hit back five minutes later when Ikpeazu skipped past two Bees defenders to curl a superb effort just inside the far post and beyond goalkeeper David Raya.

Fosu restored the hosts’ lead just before the break when he reacted quickest to stab the ball home after keeper Ryan Allsop could only parry Toney’s volley. The officials gave the goal to Fosu, but it looked to be already inches over the line.

There was still time for the Chairboys to go in level at the break, with Muskwe arriving at the far post to nod home former Brentford defender Darius Charles’ cross.

Brentford grabbed their third goal five minutes after the restart as Fosu’s low angled drive flew into the far corner.

And they made it four from the penalty spot, with Toney coolly slotting home his 17th of the season after Canos was upended in the box by Fred Onyedinma.

Thomas Frank’s side had to wait until the final 10 minutes to end Wycombe’s stubborn resistance with a devastating three-goal blast. Canos fired home Dasilva’s low pass from the edge of the box before Toney raced onto Jan Zamburek’s through ball to round Allsop and slot home his 18th of the campaign.

And there was still time for Dasilva to get in on the act with a precise low drive just inside the far post as Brentford put their visitors to the sword.

It was a scoreline that never looked on the cards in a first half that saw Wycombe battle for everything.

Allsop was in action after just four minutes, pulling off a brilliant double save to prevent Josh Knight slicing Toney’s driven low cross into his own net and then getting up to deny Saman Ghoddos.

Toney himself forced a full-length save from the keeper five minutes later, but it was only a temporary reprieve as Pinnock ghosted in to thump home the resulting corner.

Ikpeazu levelled with a superb curling effort shortly afterwards and could have given the Chairboys the lead with his next effort but saw his shot tipped onto a post by Raya.

“Wycombe have had some impressive results against the top sides and have only lost by one or two goals, so we knew what to expect. They used their energy, physicality and aggression very well in the first half,’’ said Brentford manager Frank.

“But we handled the game very well. It was a physical battle in the first half and we had to compete and earn the right to play our football, which is what we did in the second half.” — Sports Reporter/SkySports.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey