Brentford 5-2 Leeds: Ivan Toney’s hat-trick ensures the Bees’ winless run comes to an end  

Mohamed Salah on 115. Then Harry Kane on 113. Then Ivan Toney on 101.

Not bad company the Brentford striker is keeping among the top goalscorers in English football since August 2018. Toney added another three to his collection here, each one impressive in its own way as Leeds were torn apart by the 26-year-old intriguing Gareth Southgate.

His first was a penalty, maintaining his perfect record of having scored all 18 of the spot-kicks he’s taken for Brentford. His second was a 25-yard free-kick, despite Toney having never previously bagged from outside of the box. His third, well that was just a work of art.

The striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot 30 minutes in to give Brentford the lead 

Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier had raced out of his box to try to clear the danger. He didn’t, and Brentford’s striker was left with the ball and three defenders blocking his route to goal. Toney responded by chipping them all from 25 yards, completing his hat-trick.

Having talked about the sublime, it’s now time to talk about the stroppy and sloppy, and that’s Jesse March and Leeds. The head coach’s conduct in the technical area was almost as dire as the defending on the field.

Marsch was red carded for his behaviour, capping a day to forget for Leeds.

Bringing back memories of that 4-0 massacre of Manchester United, Brentford almost opened the scoring when Leeds tried and failed to play out from the back. Robin Koch’s pass was intercepted by Mathias Jensen, who immediately curled a shot towards the far corner. Meslier was a statue, watching as it flew narrowly wide.

Toney got his second 13 minutes later with a powerful free-kick to double the Bees’ lead 

That kickstarted a series of chances for Brentford to score, most of which fell to Keane Lewis-Potter. Brentford’s £16million summer signing from Hull was a live wire here and one moment saw him pluck the ball out of the sky, turn Koch then Cody Drameh, and test Meslier.

He had a more clear-cut chance to score when a fast breakaway ended with Bryan Mbeumo teeing up his new 21-year-old team-mate. Lewis-Potter’s shot looked to have beat Meslier, but not Koch, whose block was a goal denier.

Though they were kicking themselves for not taking these chances, Brentford grabbed the opening goal after half hour with help from VAR David Coote.

Jensen’s long throw-in prompted a scramble in the Leeds box. Brentford called for a penalty, claiming the ball hit Pascal Struijk on the arm. Coote disagreed, but in the aftermath of that potential handball, there was a challenge by Luis Sinisterra on Toney.

Coote decided he got none of the ball but did get the man and sent Robert Jones to his pitch-side monitor. After a lengthy look at the replays, the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Toney stepped up, scored, and made it 50 goals in 96 appearances for Brentford.

It would become 51 soon enough. When Koch fouled Shandon Baptiste, Brentford had a free-kick from 25 yards. Toney was a surprise taker, given he had never scored from outside of the box. Until now, that is, as Meslier stood still and the ball flew beyond him.

Happy days, Brentford thought, a 2-0 lead. Yet much to Thomas Frank’s frustration, Leeds were allowed to get back into the game before half time.

As three minutes of stoppage time were announced, there was a throw-in, a knock-on, and Sinisterra had the ball. He looped it over Rico Henry and buried it into the bottom left corner, making it 2-1.

Leeds’ summer signing Luis Sinisterra got one back with a low strike on the stroke of half-time

Toney rounded Illan Meslier before lobbing the ball to seal his hat-trick before the hour mark

Brentford had to wait until the 58th minute to regain their two-goal advantage. Meslier had come rushing out of his box to make a clearance but in doing so, he gifted possession to the one Brentford player you wouldn’t want to have it – Toney.

Cool as you like, Toney carried the ball forward and with three Leeds defenders having dropped to block the goal, he chipped it over them to make it 3-1.

After an hour, Leeds wanted a penalty. Crysencio Summerville had made his way into the box, only for Aaron Hickey to yank him down.

Marc Roca’s close-range finish put Leeds in touching distance again after 79 minutes 

But Bryan Mbeumo struck just a minute later to give the home side a two goal lead again – although his goal was initially chalked off before being given by the VAR

Referee Jones and VAR Coote were unmoved, and Marsch was outraged. Fourth official Keith Stroud was sick of his strops and called over Jones, who reached for his red card.

‘Marsch has spent more time on the pitch than in his technical area this afternoon,’ tweeted Brentford’s official account. ‘He’s now spending the rest of the afternoon in the stands.’

Patrick Bamford is probably hoping his manager wasn’t watching when, faced with an open goal and two yards out, he somehow didn’t connect with the ball properly. It was an embarrassing miss from the Leeds striker but with 80 minutes on the clock, it became 3-2 nonetheless as Marc Roca beat David Raya.

Brentford substitute Yoane Wissa got one in injury-time to secure the win in west London 

Seconds after the restart, however, it was 4-2 as Mbeumo broke behind Leeds’ back line to score. The assistant flagged for offside, but VAR Coote had to decide whether a header in the build-up was by Koch or Toney. He said it came off the Leeds defender, not the Brentford striker, and so it was onside.

In eight minutes of stoppage time, Brentford made it a five-star showing. Yoane Wissa stole the ball off Diego Llorente in front of the Leeds box – yet another moment of madness from this Leeds defence – and beat Meslier. Not a bad way to celebrate your 26th birthday.

Toney grabbed hold of the match ball at full time. It was his, and the points were Brentford’s.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch was sent off in the second half after he furiously remonstrated with the officials