Football: Brentford out of League Cup, Bournemouth thrash Everton

LONDON – Brentford manager Thomas Frank lamented his side’s inability to break down the low block as they lost 6-5 on penalties to fourth-tier strugglers Gillingham in the League Cup third round on Tuesday.

Everton joined them in defeat, thrashed 4-1 at fellow Premier League rivals Bournemouth, who ended a run of four successive losses.

Gillingham, 79 places below Brentford in the league hierarchy going into the game, grabbed a 75th-minute equaliser in West London when substitute Mikael Mandron headed in to cancel out England prospect Ivan Toney’s third-minute goal.

The Kent side then went through to the fourth round for the first time in 26 years when Mikkel Damsgaard hit the bar in sudden death.

“They were very difficult to break down, playing 6-3-1, they did their job very well, took the chance they got and were spotless in the penalty shoot-out,” said Frank.

 “No matter how difficult it is to break a low block down we need to play quicker and I think we needed to produce more crosses and attack with more players in the box.

“It is very frustrating, we wanted to go far. We will learn from this, we will feel down.”

Bournemouth’s home game against Everton was the only top-flight clash of the night, featuring two clubs just above the relegation zone and Bournemouth caretaker manager Gary O’Neil seemingly surviving on borrowed time.

Both fielded much-changed line-ups after stinging defeats last weekend.

Jamal Lowe put the Cherries ahead after seven minutes at the Vitality Stadium.

Everton, who play at Bournemouth again in the league on Saturday, squandered several chances and were booed off by the travelling fans at the interval.

Poor defending allowed Junior Stanislas to make it 2-0 with a 47th-minute tap-in and Everton manager Frank Lampard made a triple substitution on 51 minutes after starting with 11 changes to

last Saturday’s 2-0 league defeat by Leicester City.

Demarai Gray pulled one back in the 67th but Bournemouth settled their fans’ nerves with Emiliano Marcondes restoring the two-goal advantage on 78 minutes and Jaidon Anthony making it 4-1 in the 82nd.

Stanislas spoke highly of O’Neil after the game, telling BBC Radio Solent: “He’s been brilliant for all of us. We’ve worked with him for a couple of seasons.

“He’s done the best he can and we’ve picked up some really good results. He’s always driving us and pushing us.”

Leicester saw off League Two side Newport County 3-0 to reach the last 16, with former England striker Jamie Vardy scoring twice after James Justin opened the scoring just before the break. REUTERS