Brentford secured a fourth Carabao Cup quarter-final in six years after sweeping aside Grimsby Town in a commanding display at Blundell Park.
The League Two hosts had captured national attention earlier in the competition with a stunning win over Manchester United, but they were unable to repeat their heroics against a much-rotated Premier League side. Despite making nine changes, Keith Andrews’ men showed their superiority with a 5-0 victory that underlined their growing strength in depth.
Brentford struck three times before the break to take full control of the tie. Mathias Jensen opened the scoring midway through the first half with a crisp finish from distance, before Keane Lewis-Potter made it two soon after with a well-timed header from Reiss Nelson’s cross. Nelson, making his first start since joining on loan from Arsenal, then drilled in a third moments before halftime to cap a sparkling first 45 minutes.
Grimsby had a golden opportunity to lead when the game was still goalless, but Evan Khouri’s header was saved. It proved a costly miss for a team that had battled through memorable wins over Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday to reach this stage — their best run in four decades.
Second-half control and standout performances
The visitors maintained their momentum after the restart, with Fabio Carvalho extending the lead from the penalty spot early in the second half after being brought down by Khouri. Substitute Nathan Collins later added a fifth with a towering header to complete a one-sided contest.
Andrews praised his players for their ruthlessness and collective effort. “The attacking play was outstanding,” said the Brentford boss. “We’ve faced tough tests against Premier League sides in this cup, and the players have shown ambition and togetherness. We want to push as far as we can.”
The result means Brentford have now won four of their last five matches across all competitions. They will learn their quarter-final opponents on Wednesday as they continue their pursuit of a first major cup final.
Strength in depth under Andrews
It has been a period of smooth transition for Brentford since Keith Andrews replaced Thomas Frank, who left for Tottenham in the summer. The former set-piece coach has quickly settled into the role, guiding his side to victories over Manchester United, West Ham, and Liverpool in recent weeks.
Against Grimsby, only Sepp van den Berg and Dango Ouattara kept their places from the weekend’s league win over Liverpool, yet the team showed no sign of fatigue or complacency. Nelson, Carvalho, and Lewis-Potter each produced a goal and an assist, staking strong claims for more regular inclusion.
For the travelling supporters, this was an ideal evening — a professional performance, no injuries, and signs that Brentford’s squad depth could yet carry them to another memorable run. Four years after reaching the semi-finals, optimism is again high that the Bees might go even further this time.
