ROY McFarland jogged a few memories to help Wanderers avoid a dose of their own giant-killing medicine at Griffin Park last night.

The manager's half-time dressing down inspired a second half performance of character and class that not only put the fizz into the Coca-Cola Cup campaign but could also be the confidence-boosting catalyst for a much-needed improvement in the Premiership.

Wanderers, who enjoyed one of their finest hours when they graced last season's Wembley final, twice came from behind to win on the night, complete a comprehensive second round victory over Second Division Brentford and give McFarland good reason to look back on a job well done.

"It's been a difficult start to the season but we're hoping this can possibly be a little bit of a kick-start for us," he suggested after seeing his side skilfully tip-toe around the banana skins that seemed to appear at every turn.

"But they had to show a little bit of character in the second half. We were better than them - we knew that - but we had to go out and prove it.

"We gave them a gentle reminder at half time!"

That "gentle reminder" was described by Richard Sneekes as "a real bollocking" but, whatever interpretation is put on it, it certainly did the trick.

In the end it was a comfortable margin of victory - "No more than you should expect against a Second Division side," as Sneekes succinctly put it. But Wanderers have enough experience of giant-killing to recognise that things were looking awkward at the interval after danger-man Nicky Forster had headed Brentford level on aggregate, courtesy of a rare mistake by Keith Branagan, who flapped at a Brian Statham cross.

Shocked into action, they responded with three of the most satisfying goals - two bearing the hallmarks of pure Premiership quality - to book themselves a place in tomorrow morning's third round draw.

McFarland described the night's 58th minute equaliser as "a classic" - a move started by Scottish Coca-Cola Cup winner Steve McAnespie with Sneekes producing the vital midfield thrust and Brentford had no answer to the slick interplay that saw John McGinlay put Mark Patterson in for a quicksilver finish. Wanderers, with Alan Stubbs performing impressively in a packed midfield and McGinlay a lone striker, looked to be well in control despite their untidy moments, noteably dealing with the pace of Forster. But they were up against it once more four minutes later when referee Dermott Gallagher cruelly decided Chris Fairclough had deliberately tripped Robert Taylor in a chase for Paul Smith's flighted ball into the box.

The penalty, struck home by Martin Grainger, was a harsh one which McFarland questioned later on behalf of his players. "I thought he clipped him, it's as simple as that." Mr Gallagher explained before praising both sides after a game which ended with no bookings and without the need for either physio. "Both sides were a credit to football," he added. "It was an easy game to referee and I wish they were like that every week."

With Stubbs, Patterson and Sneekes driving them on from midfield, it didn't take long for Wanderers to restore their aggregate lead. McGinlay missed a sharp first half chance but atoned with a true striker's goal from close range after Gudni Bergsson got up well to head Thompson's free kick into the six yard box.

Then, with nine minutes left and the nerves settled, they hit Brentford in the way they have been punished themselves in the Premiership - on the break with devastating pace and accuracy. Jimmy Phillips intercepted Grainger's corner with a headed clearance that sent David Lee on a high-speed counter-attack. Without hesitation, Lee squared the ball and, just as decisively, Thompson rattled in a stunning first time shot that left the outstanding Kevin Dearden for dead.

Unfortunately, Thompson damaged a hamstring in the course of delivering the coup de grace and will need to spend the weekend break under treatment. It was anything but a fluent performance but one which will have boosted the confidence ratings of Thompson and Lee, in particular, and a game which may have given Stubbs a new lease of life in the midfield role he was steered away from during Bruce Rioch's time - ironically on the day the London Press hinted the former Bolton boss was ready to make a fresh move to sign him.

The extra midfield player left McGinlay having to work tirelessly up front, which he managed without once letting up.

Celebrating his return to the Scotland squad with his second goal of the season, McGinlay was delighted to avoid any slip ups. "We're the Premier League side now and everyone wants to beat us," he acknowledged.

"We've done it plenty of times to other teams in the past but it's different nowadays. We've got to carry that Premier League tag now and be big enough to live with it."

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