A 1-1 draw with in-form Everton at the Gtech saw Brentford pegged back late when victory had looked on the cards for most of the second-half.

On a bitterly cold night, both teams gave it their all but would ultimately cancel each other out. Both sets of fans, likewise. Vocal to the last in a game where chances were at a premium.

It was the Bees who started quickest out of the blocks. The pressure building and that fast, one-touch football we’ve become so accustomed to once again evident.

Yehor Yarmoliuk, drafted in for the absent Christian Norgaard, looking classier and classier with every passing game. Kevin Schade tearing it up down the left. Mikkel Damsgaard doing what he does so often.

Brentford with one of those twenty minute power-play phases of intensity that so often yield a goal or two but, alas, on this occasion were unable to trouble a well-drilled backline. Everton content to put the ball out at the first opportunity rather than any riskier attempt to play the ball out of trouble. Confident enough in their own ability to reset formation and then clear it that way.

To be fair to them, it worked. The initial siege withheld as they grew in to the game. Putting the Brentford midfield more on the backfoot until, eventually, the chances came. Beto with two of the most gift-wrapped opportunities you’ll ever see, both within quick succession of each other late into that opening period.

The first saw him race on to a long ball, break clear of Ethan Pinnock and bearing down on Mark Flekken. Running straight through the middle it seemed certain he would score but the big man in nets had other ideas. The goalkeeper racing out to the edge of his box and then denying the chance with a low block.

Minutes later and the same again. The ball over the top outfoxing The Bees’ defence and Beto racing clear. Again 1 on 1 with Flekken. Again a goal seemed absolutely certain. Again, the ‘keeper racing off his line and denying the opportunity.

Wonderful goalkeeping. Flekken hauling the briefly beleaguered Bees’ backline out of the mire and instead of going in 0-2 at half-time, the scores were level.

Except, they weren’t. In the fourth minute of five added on following a nasty looking clash of heads (thankfully both players ok) Everton conceded another throw deep in to their own half.

Kevin Schade’s looping ball in eluded everybody and there was Bryan Mbeumo to beat Pickford, only to be denied by the bar (let’s please not start all this again). With the Bees hunting in packs this season, Wissa was right behind him to power through and head home the rebound.

That beautiful Brentford bromance shining again. The players celebrating as one in front of the South stand. The half-time cuppas tasting all the sweeter.

Game on Brentford. The conditions so fresh out that even half-time saw refuge taken rather than centre-circle challenge being enjoyed. The eventual restart seeing things pick up where they had left off. Brentford with the better of few chances. Flekken with another smart stop and then Wissa again for 2-0. Nice work from Damsgaard in the build-up, KLP working his way through and the front man eventually getting his second of the night.

Get in! Except, no. Urghh. An offside flag promptly raised to take the wind out of the celebrations. The VAR review, such as it was, over so quickly that the players were still getting back in to position. Frustratingly, the correct decision made.

With it, renewed hope breathed in to the visitors. A brace of substitutions on 75 minutes seeing Peter Gilham announce, ‘Coming on, Ashley Young’. ‘He isn’t’, retorted one terrace wag in the North stand.

Yet if truth be told the changes – Tim Iroegbunam also coming on – were the final push over the line that the visitors needed. Within minutes, they were level. Jake O’Brien losing his man in the box and in acres of space to head Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross low in to the net. For once, Flekken powerless to resist. 79 minutes gone and the scores level.

There things stayed. Flekken completing his hat-trick of close range stops from the hapless Beto late on. Janelt with the chance to win it at the death but he couldn’t find the path to goal from close in.

Another point for Brentford and plenty to reflect on at full-time. Thankfully, there’s a weekend off before the next game – that being the visit of Aston Villa on Saturday week.

Until then, our post-match look at the top five player ratings. Five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to find an overall winner for the season.

2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 27 (vs Everton)

1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Mark Flekken
One of the easiest star-player awards all season. Mark was amazing last night.

To pull off not one but both stops from Beto in the first half was goalkeeping of the highest order. The alertness to the situation, the decisiveness with which he ran forward to the edge of the box and overall awareness were one thing. To still deny the player on each occasion was something else.

They could have ended up goals, fouls or red cards. Instead, saves that have immediately entered the ‘hall of fame’.

Let’s be honest, on the potential of the chances created Brentford should have been 2-0 down at half-time. Not 1-0 up. That’s down to Mark.

There was nothing he could have done about the equaliser but even then, kept The Bees in the game during the second half – both before and after O’Brien’s goal.

Magnificent, Mark.

2nd (4 points) – Yehor Yarmoliuk
Mark Flekken aside, the contenders for the next four positions were relatively consistent on a night where stand-out performance was hard to call.

I’m giving it to Yehor as much for his work rate in the middle. It really was one of his best games for Brentford and whilst we’ve talked about longer term potential before, it doesn’t hurt to admire once again those moments where you see future star become present day hero.

He’s strong. He’s powerful. He keeps going. The cliché ‘a good engine’ springs to mind. On a night. On an evening where even Thomas Frank would later admit that the team performance was not through the roof, Yehor was most definitely one of those who would still have caught the head coach’s eye

3rd (3 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
Mikkel has the top five held to ransom. He must be an absolute joy to play with. Certainly, he is to watch.

Yet another appearance for the great Dane. He looked like Brentford’s best means of opening up a stubborn and remorseless Everton side, set up to absorb and the counter on the break.

Yet the ground still came alive when Mikkel got the ball. When he won it in the middle. When he sprayed it out wide. When he set off on one of those mazy runs that we are oh so familiar with.

Perhaps he was a little guilty of hanging on to the ball at times but you can’t blame a player at the top of his game for being confident.

4th (2 points) – Keane Lewis-Potter
With the Bees trying to get on the front foot for swathes of this game, KLP’s role was crucial. Thankfully, he didn’t disappoint.

With Bryan Mbeumo down the right being targeted, so much of the play had to come through the other side. Along with the aforementioned Damsgaard, I felt KLP was one of our more creative and ‘the player most likely to’ .

Indeed, having had one early effort go just wide he almost had his moment in the second-half. It wasn’t to be, this time.

5th (1 point) – Kevin Schade
Tough calls for the final spot. I thought Kris Ajer and Nathan Collins were both in contention but I’m edging it to Kevin, just.

Brentford had the home advantage and Everton invited them on. Kevin bossed it in the first-half and I’d have loved to see him carry on all the way through.

Perhaps legs were tired but his running at the Everton backline certainly had them in retreat mode and on a night where chances were at a premium, his raw pace was key.

2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 27)

All of which means that the main change in our top five is Mark Flekken closing the gap on third placed KLP. Mikkel Damsgaard is still the runaway train up top but the visit of Aston Villa on Saturday week could change all of this.

1st – Mikkel Damsgaard (83 points)
2nd – Bryan Mbeumo (51 points)
3rd – Keane Lewis-Potter (49 points)
4th – Mark Flekken (48 points)
5th – Christian Norgaard (41 points)