Hartlepool United 0 Brentford 0

Brentford came back from the north-east on a cold, wet Friday night with a hard fought point after a 0-0 draw at Hartlepool.

Brentford made one change from the side that lost 3-2 at Swindon the previous Saturday with Danny Foster coming in for James Wilson, who had been called up by Wales.

Brentford started strongly and Scott Flinders kept out a Sam Saunders free-kick early on. Hartlepool came into the game and Adam Boyd forced a smart save out of Nikki Bull.

Hartlepool came closest to scoring when the ball fell to Adam Boyd near the penalty spot but his shot deflected off Nikki Bull and went over the bar. Sam Wood had a good chance for the Bees but Sam Collins produced a good clearance and Brentford went in level at half-time.

Hartlepool started strongly in the second half and when Mark Phillips was robbed by Scott Behan who raced clear but shot harmlessly wide while under pressure from Alan Bennett.

Brentford came back and Sam Saunders fired over when well placed after good work from Sam Wood on the left wing.

Neither side could force a late winner and Brentford went back down the M1 with a very good point.

Bees - Bull, Foster, Phillips (Osborne), Bennett, Dickson, Saunders, Bean, O'Connor, Wood (Weston), Cort, Macdonald

Subs - Moore, Ferrell, Blake, Kabba, Taylor

Thanks to Tom Moore and BIAS for the match report.