Palace and Brentford slug out draw on rain-soaked pitc
Crystal Palace's Joachim Andersen cancelled out Kevin Schade's first-half opener for Brentford in a 1-1 Premier League draw at a rain-soaked Community Stadium on Saturday. Despite dominating in the first half, Brentford were unable to add to Schade's fine solo effort, as Palace levelled the contest in the 77th through Andersen's scrappy goal. "Overall a very even game. We were better first half, created a lot of opportunity situations without creating big moments. Second half was even in many ways, and we were passive in situations at times," Brentford manager Thomas Frank told the BBC. "They are another good team on the pitch. We lacked a bit of quality on the ball where we could have got out of certain situations." There was little between the sides in a frantic opening 15 minutes. Yoane Wissa had an early strike disallowed for offside before Odsonne Edouard was denied by some last-ditch defending from Brentford's Ethan Pinnock. It was the hosts who drew first blood in the 18th, as Schade cut in from the left wing and danced past two Palace defenders to fire a curling shot into the far corner for his first goal in a Brentford shirt. Brentford twice came close to doubling their advantage before the break as Wissa and Nathan Collins both missed headers from set pieces, and Thomas Frank's side were made to rue their profligacy. Palace looked much sharper in the second half and created a flurry of chances, with Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken keeping out Edouard's free kick before denying Jefferson Lerma and Jordan Ayew minutes later with a double save. The pressure finally paid off for Palace in the 77th minute as Andersen scored following a one-two with Ayew, sliding in to poke a shot under the onrushing Flekken and snatch a share of the spoils as the Brentford players looked on in despair. "It was a crazy game. We didn't press like we wanted. We didn't feel good in the game. But the second half was much better. We changed something at half-time. We just tried to fight and do what we could," Andersen said. "Today I didn't feel like we had many opportunities with the ball, but I saw an opportunity to get forward. "It was about belief that I could touch the ball before the keeper and luckily it went between his legs." Brentford stepped on the gas after the equaliser and had two late penalty claims waved away by referee Peter Bankes, but were unable to find the winner. The draw was the fifth straight game between the two sides to end level. Both sides are next in action in the League Cup. Brentford travel to face Newport County, while Palace travel to Plymouth Argyle. (Reuters)