Match report: Brentford 3, Wigan Athletic 0

The Latics had won all three of their games since the campaign got under way once again last month.

But they could not make it four on the spin as they were put to the sword by promotion-chasing Brentford.

Expecting the Latics to collect all three points looked a tall order before kick-off after the shock news on Wednesday that the club had plunged into administration.

With a 12-point penalty hanging over their heads, the players battled on valiantly but they were no match for a rampant Brentford outfit, who are making a real fist of trying to catch the top two and seal automatic promotion.

The Bees were inspired by Algerian international Said Benrahma. The playmaker was a thorn in the Latics side all afternoon and scored a brilliant hat-trick.

The Latics nearly got off to the worst possible start when the hosts nearly took the lead in the third minute.

A ball played in from the right by Henrik Dalsgaard almost caught visiting goalkeeper David Marshall out at his near post

The Wigan No.1 flung himself to his left to keep the ball out but when the ball was played back into the box, an almighty scrambled ensued.

Ollie Watkins' shot was blocked and Bryan Mbeumo's follow up effort was deflected over the bar off Marshall.

The visitors were then forced into a reshuffle after centre half Leon Balogun rolled his ankle and was replaced by Gavin Massey. Kai Naismith moved back to fill the void in the centre of defence.

The Bees were playing some neat football and certainly had the Latics on the back foot.

Benrahma fired over the bar in the ninth minute but 10 minutes later, the Algerian gave the hosts the lead.

The ball appeared to have been cleared by the Latics defence but when the ball was played back into the penalty area, Benrahma, with his back to goal, swivelled before volleying past Marshall.

It could have been a lot worse for Paul Cook's men nine minutes later when Joe Williams lost the ball in his own half.

The ball was immediately seized upon by Benrahma who played the ball into Mbeumo. His first time ball released Shandon Baptiste through on goal.

The Bees' midfielder pushed the ball past the on-rushing Marshall, but Naismith got back to clear the ball of the line.

As an attacking force, the Latics offered very little and they were thankful when the half-time whistle arrived with the score only 1-0 to the Bees.

Unfortunately, the interval was just a temporary respite for the visitors as the home side continued to dominate.

With the mercurial Benrahma the focal point, the Bees continued to cut through the Latics back line.

They nearly doubled their advantage in the 55th minute when Cedric Kipre almost sliced Dalsgaard cross from the right into his own net. Fortunately, Naismith was on the line to clear the danger.

But the hosts did not have to wait long for their second goal of the afternoon.

Benrahma's looping right-footed centre from the left looped over Marshall into the top corner in the 57th minute.

Was it a cross or was it a shot? the Algerian did not care and he was celebrating his hat-trick nine minutes later when he was handed far too much time inside the area to curl the ball into the bottom corner beyond Marshall's despairing dive.

Before that, Naismith had to make another last-ditch block to thwart Watkins in the 61st minute after yet more incisive play by the home side.

For Wigan there was not much to write about in the final third and their misery was complete when substitute Joe Garner was red carded for a dangerous tackle on Jan Zamburek in the 81st minute.

BRENTFORD: David Raya, Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock, Christian Nørgaard (Jan Zamburek) Said Benrahma (Tariqe Fosu) Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Marcondes (Mathias Jensen), Pontus Jansson, Bryan Mbeumo (Joel Valencia), Henrik Dalsgaard, Shandon Baptiste (Josh Dasilva)

SUBS: Luke Daniels, Halil Dervisoglu, Julian Jeanvier, Tariqe Fosu, Mads Roerslev.

WIGAN: David Marshall, Nathan Byrne ( Jan Mlakar), Antonee Robinson, Cedric Kipre, Leon Balogun (Gavin Massey), Sam Morsy, Joe Williams, Kieran Dowell (Lee Evans) Kai Naismith, Jamal Lowe (Danny Fox,), Kieffer Moore (Joe Garner).

SUBS: Jamie Jones, Lewis Macleod, Tom Pearce, Joe Gelhardt.

Referee: Matthew Donohue

Assistant referees: Lee Venamore and Matt Foley; Fourth official: Gavin Ward