Bournemouth 1 Brentford 2: Wissa strikes in injury time as game sparks into life late on after VAR ruled out penalty
A TONED-UP Dom Solanke gave England gaffer Gareth Southgate another Euro 24 tug against Brentford.
Bournemouth’s 20-goal top scorer came face to face with Ivan Toney – the Bees striker ahead of him in the international squad stakes.
But Solanke won the duel and most plaudits heading home a majestic 89th minute goal after Brian Mbeumo had given the Bees the lead three minutes earlier.
Substitute Yoane Wissa may have crashed home a stoppage time winner for the visitors but Solanke can do little more to win Southgate over.
England coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who was watching on, will no doubt report back that the Bournemouth won won this contest hands.
Solanke and Toney had three goals ruled out by Matthew Donohue who was refereeing his first Premier League game.
The last time Donohue took charge of a Cherries match at Preston in the Championship he sent-off manager Scott Parker and defender Adam Smith.
And the official upset the Seasiders again when he ruled out Solanke’s 28th minute strike for a handball offence by Antoine Semenyo by the half-way line.
It appeared that Sergio Reguilon’s clearance struck Semenyo’s flaying arm but VAR asked the ref to check his monitor and Solanke lost out.
As he did again ten minutes later when he was adjudged to have fouled a defender before netting.
That was just too much for Cherries Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola who was cautioned for the fourth time this season for protesting with the fourth official.
Bournemouth’s billionaire American owner Bill Foley made a flying visit to Dorset with four glamorous Las Vegas show girls accompanied by an Elvis Presley look-alike.
The club dismissed talk of Foley having cheers leaders at home games before the season started but when it comes to sponsorship anything goes.
Brentford arrived on the coast with the second worst away record in the league but knowing they hadn’t lost any match to Bournemouth in the top flight.
And they threatened first on seven minutes when Keane Lewis-Potter’s grass-cutter forced a good save out of home goalkeeper Mark Travers.
Semenyo then sent a 25-yard screamer dipping just over the bar before his cross was chested over the top by Solanke.
Toney, who had not scored for ten matches, came alive on 18 minutes when his vicious low drive was tipped aside by Travers.
Action man Semenyo finished the half with a close-range effort which flew straight at Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
The second half offered Iittle goalmouth action until Toney suffered like Solanke did by trial by VAR on 72 minutes.
Toney went tumbling in the box over Illia Zabarnyi’s outstretched leg and the home fans feared the worst when Donohue pointed to the spot.
The Bees striker is deadly from 12 yards and was desperate to knock-in his fifth goal of the campaign.
But VAR intervened again and Donohue was sent once more to his monitor and this time Bournemouth were celebrating.
Not for long however when the fixture went goal mad with Mbeumo, Solanke and Wissa all netting in nine crazy minutes.