David Button saw red as Brentford’s unbeaten start to the League Two season came to an end in disastrous fashion at Bradford City.
The goalkeeper was dismissed for a first-half clash with Nakhi Wells and the 10-man Bees were unable to cope as the Bantams ran out 4-0 winners.
Uwe Rosler made seven changes to the side that beat AFC Wimbledon in a 5-3 thriller at Griffin Park on Tuesday night.
Ben Nugent, Sam Saunders, Stuart Dallas, Toumani Diagouraga, Luke Norris, Farid El Alagui and Scott Barron were the players to make way as Rosler shuffled his pack.
The German brought in Harlee Dean, Tony Craig, Adam Forshaw, Jake Reeves, Martin Fillo, Clayton Donaldson and gave Marcello Trotta his first start since returning on loan from Fulham.
Trotta spoke this week about needing to prove himself after his penalty miss cost the Bees automatic promotion on the final day of last season.
But his game was over after 27 minutes as a red card to goalkeeper Button threw Rosler’s pre-match plans into chaos.
Button was given his marching orders after tangling with Wells, with the travelling supporters enraged by the decision to dismiss the shot-stopper.
Rosler decided Trotta, still not fully match-fit, should be sacrificed and swapped the Italian for substitute goalkeeper Jack Bonham.
Kyel Reid couldn’t find the net with the resulting free-kick and the Bees looked like they had kept the hosts at bay as half-time beckoned.
But with less than five minutes of the half remaining, the Bantams struck.
Brentford failed to deal with James Meredith’s cut-back and James Hanson stole in to ram home the opening goal.
The Bees would have their work cut out to salvage anything from their trip to West Yorkshire and really needed an early goal at the start of the second period.
However, it was Bradford who nearly doubled their advantage shortly after the restart as Meredith again fed Hanson but this time his header hit the bar.
A second goal did arrive on the hour mark as Wells, already unpopular with the Bees supporters, made himself public enemy number one.
Craig, back in the heart of the defence, was wayward with his attempt to head the ball back to Bonham, leaving Wells to tap home into the empty net.
Garry Thompson made it three before Brentford had got their heads straight and five minutes later Hanson’s second of the day opened up a four-goal margin.
BEES: Button, O'Connor, Dean, Craig, Logan; Forshaw, Reeves, Saville (Dallas, 68), Fillo, Trotta (Bonham), Donaldson
Subs: Nugent, Venta, Diagouraga, El Alagui, Saunders.
Att: 13, 621 (256 Bees fans)
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