Brentford Under-18s suffered a narrow 5-4 defeat to Fulham Under-18s in an action-packed west London derby at Wheatsheaf Park on Saturday morning in the U18 Premier League.
Jai Bansoodeb, Dylan Danso and Jovan Kasujja were on target for the Brentford, who also benefited from an own goal in a high-scoring encounter. Gary McDermott's side however would concede late giving the visitors the three points.
The young Bees took the lead with the first attack of the game as Coran Madden played an incisive pass into the path of Bansoodeb, who calmly slotted past Cooper Covington.
The opening stages were end-to-end, and the visitors drew level with one of their first attacks on eight minutes, as Aidan Evans struck from close range.
Brentford regained the lead on 21 minutes with a well-worked free-kick routine. Bansoodeb clipped the ball towards the back post, where Danso met it with a flying header into the bottom corner.
Felix Lyon was quickly called into action after the goal, tipping Devonte Cavell’s powerful effort around the post. Cavell continued to pose a threat, and his accurate cross found William Sutton-Bangura, whose header struck the post.
The Bees came close to extending their advantage through some neat combination play between Bansoodeb and Nedved Owusu. Owusu delivered a cross into the box for Jovan Kasujja, who found himself one-on-one with Covington, but the Fulham goalkeeper stood tall to make the save.
Kasujja thought he had added a third shortly afterwards, turning home the rebound after Covington had saved an Ellis Foster-Jones header. However, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Fulham drew level again on 40 minutes following a sustained spell of pressure. Khai Valley connected with a volley that beat Lyon and found the bottom corner.
The visitors took the lead for the first time on the stroke of half-time, as Benjamin Oluyemmy reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box and smashed it into the roof of the net to make it 3-2.
The young Lilywhites created the first chance of the second half when Isaiah Allen met a cross with a towering header from close range, only to see his effort strike the post.
Fulham extended their lead following a long throw into the box, with Evans managing to turn the ball home amid a scramble in the area.
It remained an entertaining contest, and Brentford pulled a goal back on 63 minutes. Madden’s effort was saved by Covington, but Kasujja was on hand to turn home the rebound and get the young Bees back on the scoresheet.
It was now the home side's turn to draw level as Nathaniel Ogungbemi fizzed in a cross which took a number of ricochets off Fulham defenders before finding its way into the net.
With both teams pushing for the winner, it was the young Lilywhites who found the winner which gave them the three points as Evans' looping header secured his side's fifth of the game and his hat-trick.
The young Bees are next in action on Saturday 31 October as they take on Arsenal away from home in the U18 Premier League.
Brentford: Lyon, Biggs (Zetter-Plummer 46), Ogungbemi, Foster-Jones (Giles 90+2), Danso (Goppy 90+2), Cohalan, Owusu (Theobald 64), Noni (Roca 79), Kasujja, Bansoodeb, Madden
Subs not used: Macintyre
Booked: Bansoodeb 35, Noni 44, Danso 46
Fulham: Covington, Oluyemmy, Morrison (Grant 46), Allen, Taylor (Obeng-John 64), Konadu-Wall, Sutton-Bangura (Sessegnon 68), Hamilton, Evans, Vally (De-Gale 86), Cavell (Batra 86)
Subs not used: Ritchie, Driscoll
Booked: Allen 19, Morrison 22