Match ends, Newcastle United 3, Brentford 1.
NewcastleNewcastle United3BrentfordBrentford1
Newcastle won their third successive Championship game as they cruised past Brentford at St James' Park.
Brentford's Scott Hogan headed over from close range, before Jonjo Shelvey crossed for Ciaran Clark to nod in the opening goal for the hosts.
Dwight Gayle's shot doubled the lead and he tapped in a second after the break from two yards out.
Hogan turned in after a corner to reduce the deficit, but Newcastle were rarely troubled in the later stages.
The result lifts Newcastle to second in the table, though the result took longer to secure than it ought to have, with Christian Atsu firing just off target and Ayoze Perez having a goal ruled out for offside in a dominant first-half showing.
Gayle's two goals lifted him above Hogan and Bristol City's Tammy Abraham as the Championship's top scorer on nine, following his move from Crystal Palace in a reported £10m deal in July.
Brentford fell to eighth in the table as they lost their fourth game in their past five league meetings with Newcastle.
The Bees face Derby on Tuesday, but will be without centre-half Harlee Dean for the trip to the iPro Stadium after he was shown his fourth yellow card in five games and his fifth of the season in total.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez:
"We did everything we wanted to do - we controlled the game and had good chances.
"I'm not watching the table because it's too soon. I said the other day I was convinced we could improve; I'm pleased but we can still improve.
"The team is doing a lot of good things and we have a striker who is confident in front of goal and scoring."
Brentford manager Dean Smith:
"With the quality that they have they don't really need a helping hand but unfortunately we gave them one with a two-goal lead.
"We're not renowned for that - defensively we're normally very good.
"We came here with a game plan but when you give away goals like that it goes out the window. There were good things as well - we competed well enough."
Line-ups
Newcastle
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 26Darlow
- 8Anita
- 6LascellesSubstituted forHanleyat 60'minutes
- 2Clark
- 3Dummett
- 30AtsuBooked at 42minsSubstituted forYedlinat 72'minutes
- 12Shelvey
- 4ColbackBooked at 38mins
- 20GouffranBooked at 26minsSubstituted forLazaarat 84'minutes
- 17Pérez
- 9Gayle
Substitutes
- 5Hanley
- 7Lazaar
- 14Hayden
- 15Diamé
- 22Yedlin
- 28Sels
- 45Mitrovic
Brentford
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Bentley
- 2Colin
- 6DeanBooked at 24mins
- 14Egan
- 5BjellandSubstituted forBarbetat 75'minutes
- 8YennarisSubstituted forMcCormackat 78'minutes
- 15WoodsBooked at 73mins
- 20Clarke
- 4MacLeodSubstituted forKaikaiat 64'minutes
- 19SawyersBooked at 72mins
- 9Hogan
Substitutes
- 7Saunders
- 10McEachran
- 12McCormack
- 16Bonham
- 17Kerschbaumer
- 25Kaikai
- 29Barbet
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 51,885
Match Stats
Home TeamNewcastleAway TeamBrentford
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away2
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Newcastle United 3, Brentford 1.
Post update
Grant Hanley (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Scott Hogan (Brentford).
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Attempt missed. Ryan Woods (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Sullay Kaikai.
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Attempt missed. Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Dwight Gayle.
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Attempt missed. Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jonjo Shelvey following a set piece situation.
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Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Romaine Sawyers (Brentford).
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Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Maxime Colin.
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Attempt blocked. Achraf Lazaar (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jonjo Shelvey.
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Foul by Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United).
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John Egan (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Ryan Woods (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Romaine Sawyers.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Achraf Lazaar replaces Yoan Gouffran.
Post update
Attempt saved. Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Yoan Gouffran.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Alan McCormack replaces Nico Yennaris.
Post update
Yoan Gouffran (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Josh Clarke (Brentford).
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Yoann Barbet replaces Andreas Bjelland.
