Brentford 1-1 Charlton

by Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

at Griffin Park

BRENTFORD’S much anticipated return to the second tier of English football after 21 years ended in a 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic in front of the biggest crowd at Griffin Park for over a decade.

Igor Vetokele’s first goal in English football looked to have given the Addicks all three points in the London derby but a late equaliser from the experienced Tommy Smith rescued a deserved point for the hosts.

George Tucudean spurned a glorious chance to open his account for the away side in the 22nd minute after being put clean through from a brilliant pass from Johann Berg Gudmundsson, but the striker fired the only real chance of the first-half straight at David Button.

Minutes after the restart Vetokele was denied the opener by a brilliant save from Button, who tipped his header from close range onto the post before Yoni Buyens blasted the rebound over the bar.

But Vetokele was on hand to break the deadlock after 63 minutes, poking home from close range after a Johnnie Jackson in-swinging corner wasn’t dealt with.

Substitute Callum Harriot should have made the game safe with 10 minutes remaining but he somehow managed to strike the underside of the bar with the net gaping.

That miss was duly punished three minutes later when Smith, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, cut in from the left-hand side and his effort took a wicked deflection of Tal Ben Haim leaving Stephen Henderson stranded as the ball found the back of the net.

Alan Judge could have won the game for the Bees with a last-gasp free-kick which clipped the top of the crossbar but both sides had to settle for a share of the points on the opening day of the season.