Brentford 0-0 Millwall: Bees look destined for play-offs after being held to a goalless draw

As the party started in Norfolk, over in west London there was nothing to celebrate. Once again Brentford were helping others, rather than themselves, when it comes to escaping the Championship.

Norwich needed Swansea and Brentford to drop points to be promoted before they kicked a ball on Saturday night. Both, to the Canaries’ surprise, sang like a bird in doing so.

Thomas Frank talked of relishing the battle even with the odds against them but this match-up brought nothing to savour. 

The gap to Watford in the second automatic spot is down from nine to eight after they lost at Luton but with five games left, belief is escaping Brentford.

‘It feels like an opportunity missed,’ Frank said. ‘The performance was a little flat but there was no lack of passion, willingness, hard work or attitude.

‘But when you are not at 100 per cent against a side like Millwall that can be the difference.’

Frank insisted the race for the top two will go down ‘to the end’ but more and more it seems a second date with the play-offs is to come and if they are going to win promotion through that route they will need to play far better than they did here. 

One shot on target for a side that boasts the Championship’s top scorer in Ivan Toney is a head-scratcher. Toney is on 29 for the season in the league and yet he was lost for much of this contest, most animated when frustration at his team-mates’ decisions spilled over.

Millwall, who made one change from the side that lost to Swansea, started brighter and should have taken an early lead.

Mason Bennett, who was a pest leading the line for Gary Rowett’s visitors, played a neat one-two down the right with Danny McNamara before he picked out Scott Malone at the back post.

Racing onto the looping delivery there was a collective intake of breath from the Brentford directors. Malone connected but could only volley over, rather than into David Raya’s net.

It was a warning Brentford didn’t appear to heed. Millwall continued to attack and it was Malone again threatening.

After a fortuitous knockdown of Jed Wallace’s sliced cross fell to him, Malone forced a save out of Raya this time but again was guilty of wasting a major opportunity.

Frank gripped tighter onto his notepad and pen as the half unfolded, little to relax him, as he had hoped before kick-off.

The Bees’ big moment came after half an hour when Pontus Jansson went down in the area under pressure from Jake Cooper.

Brentford’s bench were furious that referee Darren Bond was unmoved by the incident. Millwall’s bench were furious that Brentford were furious. For large spells of the opening 45 it was the two dug-outs that provided the bulk of the entertainment. 

The second half followed much like the first, lethargic and shy on the quality that put them in contention.

When Marcus Forss broke clear early in the second half, only to find the side, rather than the inside, netting, he kicked the post in frustration. It was a moment that perfectly surmised Brentford’s struggles.

‘I’m pleased with the players,’ Rowett said. ‘We’ve got not much to play for. We could come here, be demotivated and question the desire of the lads – but we’ve drawn with Norwich twice, we’ve drawn with Brentford twice, we’ve drawn with Watford and Bournemouth.’

Cardiff City visit on Tuesday and Frank knows that a repeat performance will get them beat. If it is to be the play-offs, now is not the time for the engine to run out of steam.