Ivan Toney marked his return from an eight-month betting ban with a goal as Brentford secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Toney, who captained the team in his comeback, found the back of the net in a match that featured five goals.
Nottingham Forest took an early lead in the third minute when Danilo struck a sensational 25-yard shot into the corner after controlling the ball with his left thigh.
Brentford responded with Toney scoring a low 20-yard free kick in the 19th minute to level the score and mark his return from a lengthy ban with a goal that underlines his importance to the Bees.
Ben Mee headed Brentford into the lead just before the hour mark from a left-wing corner, but Chris Wood equalized for Nottingham Forest seven minutes later with a fine header.
Brentford continued to pose a threat, and Neal Maupay restored their lead with a brilliant swivel and low finish 22 minutes from time.
The result sees Brentford climb above Nottingham Forest into 14th place in the Premier League, holding a six-point advantage over the relegation zone. Nottingham Forest drops to 16th, two points behind Brentford and having played an additional game.
Brentford’s next fixture is a league match against Tottenham on January 31, while Nottingham Forest faces Bristol City in the FA Cup fourth round before hosting Arsenal in the Premier League the following Tuesday.
