Spoils shared at Brentford after second-half fightback - on-the-whistle report

A spirited second-half fightback saw us come from two goals down to salvage a point against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Boxing Day.

As the Premier League returned following the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, goals from Vitaly Janelt and Ivan Toney put the home side in control early in the second half but we hit back with a quick double from Harry Kane and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to level it up. Both teams could have won it in a frantic final 15 minutes, Kane hitting the crossbar among a number of our chances, but it ended all square.

After a fairly even opening, the hosts went ahead on 15 minutes. Mathias Jensen met Bryan Mbeumo’s cross with a volley which deflected off Clement Lenglet, Fraser Forster – on his Premier League debut for us - made a smart reaction save but the ball fell straight to Janelt who tucked home from close range.

On 25 minutes, Dejan Kulusevski showed great skill to work a shooting opportunity which David Raya saved and Heung-Min Son tested the keeper shortly after with a 20-yard left-foot effort. At the other end, Forster saved well with his legs to keep out Mathias Jorgensen’s close range shot. Toney had the ball in the net just before the break but it was ruled out for a clear offside, although there was nothing wrong with his goal in the 54th minute. Eric Dier’s sliced clearance led to a corner which Christian Norgaard flicked on and Toney poked home from two yards out.

Just over 10 minutes later we were back in it and it was simple but brilliant at the same time, as Lenglet delivered a ball into the box from midway inside the Brentford half out on the left and Kane produced a superb header to beat Raya. And it was all square on 71 minutes with another well-worked goal as we kept the ball around the Bees' box before Kulusevski got to the byline and cut back for Hojbjerg, who controlled and drilled in the equaliser.

There were chances at either end in a dramatic closing period. Substitute Davinson Sanchez tested Raya with a fierce 25-yard drive straight at the keeper, Kane then headed against the crossbar and Matt Doherty just couldn’t turn home the rebound, while Toney poked over the bar from six yards out as Forster rushed out to block. We had the last chance, Son curling an effort from the edge of the area but Raya dived to his right to save and we had to settle for a point in west London.

'We have to start from the first second'

Antonio Conte said afterwards: “For me, I think the second part of the game was very, very positive. We played with a great intensity, played with the right desire to score and to create difficulties for our opponent. But we have to know, this is maybe nine games in a row that we start a game and concede a goal. We go down, and then we start to play, and we come back. I think that we have to start from the first second, mentally strong, to play in the way we played in the second part of the game until the end.”

Reaction on SPURSPLAY

Highlights on SPURSPLAY

Match data

Goals: Brentford – Janelt 15, Toney 54; Spurs – Kane 65, Hojbjerg 71.

Yellow cards: Brentford – Jensen, Mbeumo, Toney; Spurs - Bissouma.

Referee: David Coote.

Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford.

Weather: Sunny, gentle breeze, eight degrees.