Brentford 2-0 Watford: Bees secure third place as Ivan Toney equals league goals record
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Ivan Toney is in his first full season in the Championship after a summer move from Peterborough United
Brentford's Ivan Toney got his 30th goal of the season to equal the Championship record and help his side secure a third-placed finish as they beat second-placed Watford.
The Bees had the better of a goalless first half which saw Marcus Forss have a goal disallowed.
But they had to wait just 53 seconds after the restart to go ahead as Forss slotted in from close range at the far post after Sergi Canos had got to the byeline.
Having been fouled in the box by Francisco Sierralta, Toney calmly slotted home the penalty after an hour to draw level with Glenn Murray's record for Crystal Palace with a game to go.
The victory ensured a second successive third-placed finish for Brentford, who lost to Fulham in last season's play-off final.
Their tally of 84 points is three better than they got last term, but they are four behind Watford who ensured promotion straight back to the top flight with victory over Millwall last week.
The defeat for Watford saw Norwich confirmed as Championship champions after the Canaries beat Reading 4-1 at Carrow Road.
The Hornets' best chance came after 10 minutes when David Raya saved well with his legs from Dan Gosling's shot from 12 yards.
The hosts gradually got the better of a competitive first half as Christian Norgaard shot over the Watford bar eight minutes later having found himself unmarked at the far post after a deep free-kick.
Watford lost Joseph Hungbo and captain Tom Cleverley to early injuries which upset their rhythm, and they almost went a goal down when Forss backheeled in from close range after a corner, but the Finn was offside when Toney headed the ball back towards him.
Brentford continued to threaten as Toney headed straight at Daniel Bachmann just before half time, and they went in front just after the restart after great work down the left by Tariqe Fosu-Henry and Canos to set up Forss.
After Toney's penalty, Watford hit the bar as Isaac Success brilliantly chested down a high ball and shot from eight yards with 17 minutes left, while Canos almost got a third for Brentford when he blasted a 25-yard effort against the Watford bar in the 90th minute.
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank told BBC Radio London:
"I really liked the way we were thinking forward in the pressure, we were thinking forward when we won the ball and playing forward on the first interception or the first pass.
"It was a good performance, a 100% deserved win, that's pleasing. We like to keep our momentum going forward and then I think we all know that we are in the play-offs now and we were fighting for top two.
"Of course we're only dreaming about getting promoted, all the four teams in the play-offs are dreaming about that, and that's the same for us. But we need to see the bigger perspective and we now have come third two consecutive seasons, that's very impressive for a club like us and where we've come from.
"Of course we want more and we'll give everything for the rest of the season."
Watford head coach Xisco Munoz told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"It's not easy for everyone games like this. I think the last four months there was big tension and big passion and we worked very hard.
"Sometimes when it's after the goal it's totally different.
"If we scored one of the opportunities we had then maybe we'd have the chance to get more out of the game, but the situation is we lost and we need to continue to work very hard until the last game.
"I want to say congratulations to Norwich as they won the Championship and I want to say all the best for all the teams in the play-offs."