Brentford 5-3 Wolves: Brilliant Bees edge eight-goal thriller

Brentford beat Wolves 5-3 in a thrilling encounter that saw six goals scored in the first half, with the Bees ending a three-match winless run to move into the Premier League's top half.

Both sides traded blows early on, with former Wolves defender Nathan Collins heading home inside two minutes before winning a 20th-minute penalty that was converted by Bryan Mbeumo.

Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen hit equalisers for the visitors between those Brentford goals, the latter with an excellent flick from Rayan Ait-Nouri's cross, but some dire Wolves defending allowed Christian Norgaard to re-establish the hosts’ lead, drilling home from the right side of the area.

Ethan Pinnock's back-post header put Brentford further ahead just before half-time, and despite a string of second-half saves by Sam Johnstone, the Bees grabbed a fifth through Fabio Carvalho, who pounced on a rebound in the 90th minute.

Rayan Ait-Nouri pulled one back for Wolves at the death, but they stay bottom with just one point, while Brentford go ninth in the table with 10.

Data Debrief: Breathless start favours Brentford

Saturday's match was just the sixth in Premier League history to feature six different goalscorers in the first half, with Collins, Cunha, Mbeumo, Larsen, Norgaard and Pinnock all on target in a breathless opening period.

The previous matches were Manchester City v Oldham (in August 1992), Blackburn Rovers v Leeds United (September 1997), Leeds United v Bradford City (May 2001), Swansea City v Wolves (April 2012) and Reading v Manchester United (December 2012).

While Brentford are now into the top half after collecting 10 points from four home games this term, Wolves have failed to win any of their first seven Premier League games for the first time since 2003-04, when they finished bottom.

With Manchester City up next for the Old Gold after the international break, Gary O'Neil may soon be feeling the heat.