It was supposed to be a season in 90 minutes. It turned out to be a season in 18 seconds.
The tightrope tussle between Brentford and Doncaster Rovers for promotion to the Championship remained in delicate balance until the very last breathtaking act of this winner-takes-all game.
Awarded a penalty by referee Michael Oliver in the fourth minute of added time, Brentford thought they were about to seal a place in English football’s second tier for only the second occasion since the Second World War. But substitute Marcello Trotta, the 20-year-old on loan from Fulham, crashed his spot-kick against the bar.
Unbelievable: Doncaster won promotion to the Championship in the most dramatic way possible
Shell shocked: Brentford players sank to the ground after the incredible finish at Griffin Park
Agony for the 11,300 home fans — the highest attendance for two decades. The loose ball then broke to Doncaster’s Billy Paynter in yards of space. He ran to the other end and squared for James Coppinger to slide home to make it 1-0 and clinch promotion as champions. Flares erupted from the 1,000 away fans; shirts were ripped off and thrown in; cries of ‘Championes’ rang out. It was scarcely believable.
The penalty
Emotions exploded when Oliver pointed to the spot for a nudge on Toumani Diagouraga by Jamie McCombe in the fourth of five additional minutes. Yet orders over who should take Brentford’s kick were not obeyed. ‘The whole group knew I selected Kevin O’Connor,’ said boss Uwe Rosler.
Pivotal: Marcello Trotta hit the bar with a 95th-minute penalty for Brentford
Hero: Doncaster goalscorer James Coppinger celebrated with his team-mates
O’Connor is Brentford’s captain, 31, and has never played anywhere else in a career spanning more than 450 matches. ‘I should have taken it,’ he admitted. ‘I was trying to, but all credit to Trotts (Trotta), he wanted to and he had the ball, so I couldn’t physically take it off him. Unfortunately, Trotts has missed.’
Doncaster centre back Rob Jones — captain, coach and caretaker manager for two games this season — said he could tell the argument would prove fatal.
‘I knew they were going to miss,’ he said. ‘There were three of them fighting over it and the lad who did step up had only been on the pitch a few minutes.’
There was no such premonition for Brentford striker Bradley Wright-Phillips. ‘I thought that was it,’ he conceded. ‘I was thinking about partying.’
Doncaster keeper Neil Sullivan had only one thing in mind: save it. ‘For it to hit the bar and us go down the other end and score is unbelievable,’ he said. ‘I don’t think anyone has experienced anything like that before.’
Disbelief: Brentford fans looked dejected after what they witnessed on Saturday
The goal
Doncaster manager Bryan Flynn, who took Wrexham up to the third flight 20 years ago to the day, believed divine intervention played a part. ‘In front of me in the dugout, hunched on his knees, was Billy Paynter. He said: “I’m praying”. The clearance went straight to his foot and we were two-on-one with the goalkeeper.’
Paynter wasn’t the only player saying a prayer. Coppinger said: ‘I just tried to keep up with Billy thinking, “Please pass it”. I had a set-to with him in training about passing the ball to me; a bit of an argument. For it to fall to him to pass to me was so ironic.’
He regrets throwing his shirt into the crowd. ‘I would have loved to have kept my shirt. For that to go on the wall would be brilliant. If you’re reading, I’ll have it back!’
The aftermath
At the final whistle a few dozen Brentford fans made it on to the pitch and attempted to vent their frustration at the visitors. Police horses kept the peace. Rosler was seen angrily remonstrating with O’Connor in the tunnel over the penalty and tears were shed.
Doncaster’s heroes celebrated in the Princess Royal, one of four pubs at each corner of Griffin Park. Their League One trophy will be presented at 6.30pm today at the Keepmoat Stadium, followed by an open-top bus tour around town.
The future
Flynn is now out of contract and eager for talks. Having stepped in when Dean Saunders left for Wolves, he would love a crack at the Championship.
‘That would be a first for me,’ the 57-year-old said. ‘I imagine I have quite a good case now!’ But Brentford must recover quickly.
The play-off semi-final first leg is at Swindon on Saturday. ‘We have a very good chance to play at Wembley,’ said O’Connor. ‘There is light at the end of the tunnel.’ And if another penalty arrives? ‘I’m taking it.’
Party time: Doncaster players celebrated their amazing win with their ecstatic fans
