Jones was Cherries' Griffin Park hero

As Cherries prepare for their first visit to Brentford’s new home, Jones looks back on one of the club’s finest hours in the London borough of Hounslow.

When Mel Machin’s troops headed to the capital in April 1995, the odds had been firmly stacked against them preserving their place in the third flight of English football.

Seven successive defeats at the start of the campaign had left them behind the eight ball, with snookers required as they mustered just nine points from their first 21 games.

Marooned at the foot of Division Two and 11 points from safety at the halfway stage, an improved second half of the season breathed new life into their survival hopes.

Although the revival had kept alive their season, they headed to Brentford for their penultimate game still occupying one of five relegation places due to an inferior goal difference.

Meanwhile, the second-placed Bees were level on points with leaders Birmingham and boasted a 14-match unbeaten home record, which had included no fewer than 10 wins.

Brentford’s superb form at Griffin Park had seen them hand out heavy beatings to two of Cherries’ relegation rivals – Plymouth (7-0) and Cambridge (6-0).

Having suffered a dispiriting defeat at Swansea seven days previously, Machin’s underdogs had it all to do if they were to upset the formbook.

Scott Mean’s stunning long-range strike gave them the lead, only for Paul Abrahams to level for the hosts.

But 16 minutes from time, Jones outstripped the Bees defence to fire home one of the most important goals in the club’s history.

Cherries’ 2-1 victory, coupled with Cambridge drawing 1-1 with Huddersfield, took the Machin Braves out of the bottom five for the first time that season.

And the original Great Escape was pulled off just three days later when a resounding 3-0 home win over Shrewsbury put Cherries safe.

Jones was a big hit with supporters during two spells with the club, hitting 34 goals in 90 games. His stats include a brief loan spell in 1997/98. 

Looking back on the Great Escape, he told afcb.co.uk: “We’d done well to rally that season to give ourselves a chance but the defeat at Swansea was a bit of a killer. We’d beaten some good teams in those final 15 to 20 games.

“I remember beating leaders Birmingham in a big game at Dean Court and winning 3-0 at high-flying Oxford – I always remember the games I scored in!

“After the Swansea defeat, we had to go to Brentford and get a positive result which we knew was going to be difficult. They were challenging for the title and had a really good side. We weren’t expected to get anything.

“The build up to the Shrewsbury game was a lot busier but the support at Brentford was unbelievable. We had the whole of one end behind the goal and the noise was deafening.

“We had such a good team spirit and didn’t feel nervous. Maybe that was another reason we ended up staying up. Mel was a top man and a top man-manager and everything clicked. He did it on a shoestring as well.

“When he gave the team-talk, he just said to go out and enjoy ourselves. He said not to worry about it, he said we’d done well to get where we were and there was no pressure on us. That helped relax the lads.

“Other than Robbo giving the ball away early on, we started quite well and looked dangerous.

“I did okay in the first half but didn’t have a great game. In the second half, I was having one and hardly touched the ball.

“I remember Mel calling me over and saying ‘Jonesey, any chance of you doing something today?’

“He always got the best out of you and was that sort of person. When he says something like that it hurts because you respected him so much. Luckily, I went on to get the winner at Brentford.

“Matt Holland hooked on a long ball from Ady Pennock and Jamie Bates read the situation poorly. I went to go in behind and he let the ball bounce over his head so I was in.

“As I hit it, he buried me from behind and left me with the biggest bruise and sorest calf I ever had in football. I got my shot away and he was trying to bring me down.

“I remember looking up and seeing the ball flying into the top of the net. I was a bit gutted it wasn’t at the other end where all our supporters were.

“It was a great day with great memories.”

In 17 meetings between the two clubs at Griffin Park since 1995, the Cherries managed just two victories, the Bees condemning them to defeat in their Premier League promotion-winning season of 2014/15.

“It was always a decent stadium to play in,” said Jones. “It had a couple of tiers behind the goal for away fans and boozers on all four corners.

“The old stadiums might have looked a bit rundown but some of the new ones lack tightness and a community atmosphere. Old grounds like Griffin Park, Dean Court and Upton Park generated that.

“I have fond memories of Griffin Park. In fact, I have fond memories of every ground I scored the winner at!”