Soccer Football - Premier League - Brentford v Brighton & Hove Albion - Brentford Community Stadium, London, Britain - April 3, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion's Danny Welbeck shoots at goal Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
LONDON (Reuters) -Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion played out a dull 0-0 draw in their Premier League clash in west London on Wednesday, a game of few clear-cut chances despite the attacking quality on both sides.
It was the first 0-0 draw for Brentford since a stalemate with Leeds United in January last year and moves them six points clear of the relegation zone. Brighton stay in ninth with 43 points from 30 games, unable to make up significant ground in the race for European places next season.
There was a rare event on the stroke of halftime when Video Assistant Referee Michael Oliver suggested referee Andy Madley check for a possible penalty for Brighton as Lewis Dunk and Yoanne Wissa tussled in the Brentford box at a corner.
It has become almost the norm for the referee to rubber-stamp the view of the VAR but Madley correctly decided the first infringement had been made by Dunk as he manhandled Wissa and a free kick was given instead.
Brighton, who have had a single away win since November, had the better chances, especially in the final 10 minutes as they put pressure on the home goal.
"We played very well, we were unlucky against a very good team. In the second half we had chances to score," Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi told TNT Sports.
"We are disappointed about the result, but not the performance. We had the right mentality."
Brighton striker Danny Welbeck should have done better when he burst into the box and shot with the outside of his boot from an angle that was always going to take the ball away from goal in arguably the best opportunity of the night.
Two wins in 18 games in all competitions means Brentford remain looking over their shoulders at the relegation scrap behind them, but they will feel that with a fit and firing Ivan Toney, who had some delightful touches, they have a match-winner to keep them clear of the drop zone.
It was Toney who had a good chance to give Brentford the lead in the first half.
He turned Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke in the box and had a clear sight of goal but stumbled as he went to shoot and his effort was weak.
"We have had a lot of set-backs this season, so I see this as another step forward," Brentford manager Thomas Frank said.
"The boys worked unbelievably hard. If you can’t win, don’t lose, and on top of that we got a clean sheet."
(Reporting by Nick Said; editing by Clare Fallon)
