BRENTFORD were undone by a late Steven Gillespie brace as they let a lead slip to lose 2-1 at Colchester United tonight.
The Bees came close to opening the scoring 10 minutes in when Niall McGinn, having switched to the left flank, cut inside, and as the home defence backed off, unleashed a superb shot which came back off the far post.
Colchester came close themselves midway through the half when Richard Lee had to be quick off his line to smother a shot from Ian Henderson after Brentford's defence were caught napping when Lloyd James's initial shot was blocked in the area.
It says a lot about the first half that the biggest talking point was referee J Linington's decision to flag for offside when McGinn played the ball through to himself.
But after an equally dull start to the second half, the game sprung into life on 55 minutes when Jake Bidwell was brought down in the box. Although home keeper Ben Williams saved Gary Alexander's penalty, the ball came out to McGinn on the edge of the area, who lashed it home from a narrow angle.
The moment Brentford fans had been waiting for arrived on 70 minutes when the man they love to hate, Martin Rowlands, came on as a sub for Colchester, his arrival being greeted by a hail of boos from the visiting fans.
And it was from the former Bees man's free-kick that Colchester came closest to equalising a few minutes later, Anthony Wordsworth heading wide from point-blank range, while down at the other, Williams had to get down well to save a Sam Saunders free-kick.
The hosts came close again soon after when Ian Henderson was allowed to run into the box unchecked, before Jonathan Douglas got in the way of his goal-bound shot, while Brentford had Lee to thank as he got down well to save a Magnus Okuonghae header from a Rowlands free-kick.
The warning signs were not heeded, however, and after a magnificent effort from Henderson came back off the bar, sub Steven Gillespie was on hand to finish it off.
Only a few minutes later, it was that man Gillespie again, whose shot from outside the area seemed no trouble for Lee, but the ball squirmed under the Bees keeper.
New loan striker Saido Berahino came on for his Brentford debut in the dying minutes, but not even he could salvage the Bees a point.
BEES: Lee, Logan, Legge, Dean, Bidwell, McGinn (Donaldson 81), Bean (Berahino), Douglas, Diagouraga, Weston (Saunders 65), Alexander. Subs not used: Balkestein, Thompson
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