'Big Dog' Toney back with a bang as Brentford beat Forest 3-2

LONDON :England striker Ivan Toney scored 19 minutes into his comeback from an eight month ban for betting offences as Brentford ended a five match losing streak with a 3-2 home win against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

The 27-year-old 'Big Dog', handed the captain's armband and welcomed back to considerable fanfare, opened his account for the season with a stunning free kick bent to the right around the defensive wall.

Television replays showed he had twice moved the ball from its original placing, however, without the referee being alerted and without the Forest players reacting.

"I think you have a yard either way. I just moved it and bent it around the corner," he told Sky Sports television after the match.

The equaliser lightened the mood, after Brazilian midfielder Danilo hushed the crowd in the third minute with a stunning half-volley straight past goalkeeper Mark Flekken, and Brentford began to click and the game came alight.

Toney, his club's top scorer last season with 20 goals in 30 league appearances, was barred from all football last July for 232 breaches of the betting rules.

His return after 259 days, ironically in a shirt sponsored by a betting company, could not come soon enough for the Bees faithful who had suffered as their side went winless in eight matches.

"It means a lot. I'm just buzzing to be back, scoring goals for the team," he said.

"I manifest things like this. Before I left my house, I thought, 'we're winning today and I'm scoring'.

"I'm grateful to be back. I missed it so much. I'm back."

Brentford, who moved up to 14th and six points clear of the drop zone with Forest dropping to 16th, went 2-1 ahead in the 58th when Ben Mee headed powerfully in off Mathias Jensen's corner