Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva got the goals as Brentford ended 2022 with a consummate victory over West Ham United at London Stadium.

However, the night was overshadowed by a potentially serious leg injury to Toney in the closing stages.

West Ham had more possession and territory but were kept at bay by a well-disciplined and resolute Brentford side who struck twice in the first half.

Toney grabbed his 12th of the campaign, matching his tally from last season, with a close-range finish on the quarter-hour before Dasilva capitalised on some slack defending to make it two shortly before the interval.

It was a similar story after the break with the Hammers’ struggling to create any real openings, bar a late Craig Dawson header.

The victory, Brentford’s second in succession on the road, means Thomas Frank’s side will head into 2023 comfortably inside the Premier League’s top half.

The teams

Brentford made just the one change from the Boxing Day draw with Tottenham Hotspur: Dasilva coming in for Vitaly Janelt.

Ryan Trevitt also replaced Charlie Goode on the bench.

There were three alterations for the home side from their defeat to Arsenal last time out, as well as a change of system.

Gianluca Scamacca replaced Michail Antonio up front while the inclusion of Angelo Ogbonna and Emerson saw West Ham switch to five in defence with Aaron Cresswell on the left of a back three and Emerson outside him.

Brentford: Raya; Roerslev, Zanka, Mee, Pinnock, Henry; Norgaard, Dasilva (Ghoddos 67), Jensen (Janelt 59); Mbeumo (Wissa 58), Toney (Jansson 90+5)

Subs not used: Cox, Canos, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Trevitt

West Ham United: Fabianski; Ogbonna, Dawson, Cresswell; Coufal, Rice, Paqueta (Soucek 82), Emerson (Antonio 64); Bowen, Benrahma, Scamacca

Subs not used: Areola, Johnson, Fornals, Lanzini, Downe, Kehrer, Aguerd

First half

After a minute’s applause for Pele, fondly remembered by West Ham fans for his iconic image alongside Bobby Moore, it was the home side who came out of the blocks quickly and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and territory in the early stages.

West Ham were looking to get bodies in around Scamacca and found early joy down the flanks through former Bee Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen on the other side.

Declan Rice served an early warning with a curling 25-yard effort which glanced off David Raya’s right post before bouncing wide.

Bowen was then twice denied in quick succession, first Ben Mee diverted his low cross-shot behind for a corner before Ethan Pinnock got in the way after the Hammers’ winger had turned Rico Henry in the box - in between Dawson nodded a corner wide as the hosts started strongly.

Emerson was the next to be frustrated, Toney the man in the right place this time, before Brentford struck.

There had been a warning for the hosts three minutes before the goal, Bryan Mbeumo shooting low at Lucasz Fabianski from 25 yards, but the next attack brought the opener.

Mathias Jensen’s long throw was helped onto Christian Norgaard by Pinnock. The midfielder’s hooked volley from six yards out was blocked by Fabianski and Toney reacted faster than Cresswell and Emerson to turn home.

The goal didn’t really change the flow of the game but, for all their possession, David Moyes’ side couldn’t find a way past a wall of Brentford defenders in black.

Mee made another crucial block as Bowen shot from 10 yards before Raya was finally tested in the 28th minute; Scamacca’s header from Vladimir Coufal’s centre a simple gather for the Brentford stopper.

The Spanish keeper was called into more serious action when the hosts next came forward, as he reacted quickly to turn Emerson’s angled drive behind.

Ogbonna had set up that chance and he saw an opening of his own when the resulting corner was delivered back in by Coufal, only to head well off target.

Brentford would have been happy to take a one-goal advantage into the break, but things got even better two minutes before the interval.

There looked to be no danger as Toney lobbed a hopeful ball forward, but Cresswell was slow to react, and Fabianski glued to his line, which allowed Dasilva to steal in behind, steady himself, and slide clinically inside the post from 15 yards.

The final action of the half saw Lucas Paqueta drag a shot across goal and wide from just outside the area.

Second half

Brentford’s two-goal advantage looked in jeopardy three minutes after the restart as Darren England pointed to the spot following Mee’s foul on Bowen.

However, VAR replays showed the contact was inches outside the box and the decision was changed to a free-kick. Bowen’s low in-swinging effort was cleared by Toney at the near post and Norgaard then thwarted Emerson.

As the second half progressed, West Ham showed more frustration at Brentford’s resolute defending.

With Norgaard and Jensen providing an excellent screen in front of Zanka, Pinnock and Mee, the Hammers were reduced to efforts from range.

Cresswell slammed a free-kick over from 30 yards, Raya made a simple save to deny Bowen from distance, and Craig Dawson also went for the spectacular, blasting wide after stepping forward from the back.

Vitaly Janelt, Saman Ghoddos and Wissa slotted in seamlessly off the bench for the closing stages.

Ghoddos nearly added a third with a hooked volley from inside the D which Fabianski pawed behind.

That chance had come after Toney’s free-kick was blocked by the wall and the Bees frontman threatened again from the resulting corner but could only hook wide while off balance.

West Ham’s night was summed up with 13 minutes to play as Michail Antonio weaved through the Brentford backline before swinging himself off his feet with an air shot from the edge of the box. Scamacca then drilled the follow up well wide.

Wissa could then have made the game safe from the impressive Mads Roerslev’s cutback, but his shot lacked the power to trouble Fabianski.

Raya made a fine save to tip Dawson’s looping header over the bar before the night ended on a sour note for Brentford fans with Toney stretchered off in obvious pain after landing awkwardly while defending a corner.

The final action saw Mee block Antonio’s effort, which confirmed a winning end to 2022 for the Bees.

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