Brentford have moved up to 16th in the Skybet Championship table with a 3-1 victory over Leeds United at Griffin Park. Two goals in the final six minutes cancelled out goalkeeping errors by both sides as Leeds dropped to 10th in the standings.
Listless Leeds on show
For a team that has lost of five of six its last six games, the visitors came out with little energy. Ryan Woods, a key man later on, sent a beautiful arcing pass inside his own half to Florian Jozefzoon, but the Dutchman curled his effort over.
The vibrancy and creativity was on display again, particularly out wide as Ollie Watkins tested Andy Lonergan with a curling shot off his right foot, but the Leeds goalkeeper was up to the task. The resulting corner was headed away by Pontus Jansson.
The breakthrough came soon after on a shocking error from Lonergan. The Whites keeper looked to have Yoann Barbet's looping cross from the left in his grasp, but inexplicably the ball slipped out of his hands mid-jump before it was headed in by Neal Maupay to give Brentford a 1-0 lead.
Goalkeeping error leads to equaliser
Watkins was again creator, driving at Leeds' stretched defense, squared up Jansson before a slipping a ball behind the big centre back's blindside. Jansson spun, stretched and missed, bringing down Maupay.
Watkins stepped up, but his effort was poor, blazing his shot over the crossbar. That proved to be a crucial miss as Leeds came out of the break much livelier and soon, out of nowhere, the game was level.
Changes made at half-time by the Whites' manager proved to be fruitful, with Pablo Hernandez and Kemar Roofe replacing Stuart O'Kane and Pierre-Michel Lassoga. Another goalkeeping error helped square up proceedings.
Brentford goalkeeper Daniel Bentley missed a looping cross that was sent in and Ezgjan Alioski headed in the equalizer over two defenders in the 67th minute. The game remained that way until the final few decisive moments.
Barbet, Woods goals send Bees to win
With Leeds pushing for a winner, Ronaldo Vieira the key man, disaster struck for the visitors when Barbet's cross from a free-kick on the right drifted past everyone and into the net five minutes from time.
Christiansen and his side looked stunned, and their miserable night was sealed when the impressive Woods steered home from 20 yards to complete the Whites night of dismay, a team that had led the division just two months ago now down to 10th.
Post-match manager's comments
Brentford manager Dean Smith: "I felt we deserved the win. In the first half we were very good and probably deserved to go in two goals up but we missed the penalty.
"Their subs changed the game, put us under pressure for the first 25 minutes of the second half and Dan made a mistake and they got the goal.
"But we got back on the ball, went and pressed a bit higher in the last 20 minutes, and got some joy out of that.
"There is a big togetherness here and we need to harness that and keep it going. We have a lot of belief in the way we play so we need to make sure we don't drop off the work ethic".
Leeds manager Thomas Christiansen: "I believe we deserved much more. I saw the strength in the team. We made two changes at half-time and the team went out, believed in the possibility to turn the result around and we were almost able to do it.
"In this league, when you make individual mistakes, we get punished. We had several opportunities to score, but when you're in this negative situation then it's more that our chances go out than in.
"We need to work hard, we need to prepare well and motivate the players. They proved in the second half that they are able to perform and win."