THEY might have talked down Brentford way over the years about leaving Griffin Park, but don't mention that to Leon Knight.

Though Brentford's antiquated West London home possesses a modest charm, it must rank as one of Knight's favourite grounds. Certainly, Bees fans are sick of the sight of him.

Recalled to Kenny Jackett's starting line-up when Lee Trundle failed a morning test on a knee injury, Knight could not have picked a better venue for his first start since being sent off at Leyton Orient last month.

Fresh in Knight's mind must have been the play-off goals he plundered at Griffin Park four months ago, his memorable double strike sending the Swans through to the Millennium Stadium final.

Then Knight's finishing was clinical, last night it was more of the same with Brentford's unbeaten record vanishing by the 55th minute.
Indeed, it was Brentford's first defeat since that 2-0 play-off defeat in May and the eventual ease of Swansea's victory - their fourth in the last five games - underlined the feeling that Jackett's men are hitting their straps after a slow start.


On a night when referee Graham Poll provided Premiership presence (his previous match was Saturday's Merseyside derby) there was plenty of quality and excitement which would not have looked out of place in the top flight.
In fact until Knight rifled home his second goal, doubling his season's tally in the process, this was a thrilling encounter which rippled with the intensity of two promotion contenders colliding.
The home fans sensed as much, making more noise than they had done in that May showdown.



But Swansea showed again they have the measure of the Bees, swarming all over them before Knight provided the killer touch.

Though Knight emerged as the match-winner, it was his Brentford look-a-like, Jo Kuffour, who had the first chance of the contest, the striker's pace taking him clear of Izzy Iriekpen and allowing him a shot which Willy Gueret smothered on his six-yard line.

Gueret was less certain dealing with a couple of Brentford crosses, but Swansea were beginning to impose themselves with skipper Darren Pratley - back at the club where he spent two loan spells - and Alan Tate taking control of midfield.

Swansea worked the ball perfectly for Pratley to release Kevin Austin on the overlap and his centre found the unmarked Knight, who sent his header inches wide.

Moments later Tate met Tom Butler's corner sweetly on the volley and it was too hot for Bees goalkeeper Stuart Nelson to handle with defender Matt Heywood completing the clearance.
In a rip-roaring encounter, Brentford also carried a genuine goal threat with Swansea susceptible at set-pieces and Kuffour a constant thorn.

Paul Brooker blazed over after Kuffour and Chris Moore had linked up on the edge of the area and Heywood was then almost given the freedom of the penalty area when he nodded Brooker's corner wide.

Yet there was a freedom about Swansea's play which was easy on the eye and the woodwork twice denied them the lead in three minutes either side of the half-hour mark.
Deprived of the free-kick qualities of Trundle and Andy Robinson, who was among the substitutes again, Leon Britton stepped up to deliver a 25-yarder off Nelson's left-hand upright.


Adam Griffiths' goal-line clearance prevented Iriekpen prodding the rebound home, and Swansea were cursing once more when Bayo Akinfenwa headed against the base of a post from eight yards after Pratley had burst down the right.
Had Akinfenwa scored it would almost have been too much for Brentford boss Leroy Rosenior to stomach, the former Torquay manager having some harsh words for the centre-forward when he left Plainmoor for Swansea in the summer of 2005.


It seemed as if fortune was against Swansea, but after 37 minutes Tate found Butler and his short pass to Knight, stationed just inside the area, gave the predator enough time to curl his precise effort beyond Nelson.


A goal up, it almost got better when Akinfenwa sprinted away from the halfway line before dragging his angled drive wide with Britton and Butler in support.
Brooker's volley gave notice that Brentford were far from finished and Knight's saved near-post header started the second half in the same fashion as the first had ended.


Brentford shuffled their pack to find some inspiration, but they were hit by a 55th-minute sledgehammer when Gueret collected a loose ball and hurled it 50 yards in the same movement.
Knight was onto the ball as a quick as a flash, advancing and then moving inside right-back Kevin O'Connor to unleash a ferocious 18-yard drive into the roof of the net.


After that Swansea were content to draw the Bees' sting, defending sensibly and playing within themselves before trying to utilise Knight's pace.

Robinson and Rory Fallon were sent on with 20 minutes remaining and the big New Zealander almost got on the scoresheet, heading over from close range when climbing above his own team-mate Iriekpen.


"Easy, easy" crowed the 700-strong Swansea faithful at the final whistle. And in the end it was.