Andy Gogia scored the only goal of the game as Brentford beat Brighton and Hove Albion in a behind closed doors friendly at The Seagulls Training Ground this afternoon.
It was a strong XI that The Bees took to the South Coast with Jack Bonham, Yoann Barbet, Josh McEachran, Nico Yennaris, Konstantin Kerschbaumer, Lewis Macleod, Philipp Hofmann and Marco Djuricin all starting alongside Gogia. The Bees began well with Macleod and McEachran both testing Christian Walton in the home goal before Kazenga Lualua has the hosts' first chance but Bonham was out smartly to save at the striker's feet.
In a first-half of few chances Hofmann shot over following a slick Brentford break and Lualua dragged an effort across the face of goal before The Bees took the lead just before the break with a clinical counter-attack. Hofmann did well to win the ball in midfield and then supplied Macleod whose cross to the back post was controlled and then slammed home by Gogia. With Dean Smith watching on Brentford nearly made it two a minute later but Hofmann's header didn't have enough power to beat Walton.
There were chances at both ends at the start of the second-period as Djuricin shot straight at Walton after good work by Gogia and Yennaris, Hofmann's effort was deflected high and wide and Yennaris was denied when he let fly from long-range. For the hosts James Tilley and Richie Towell both warmed the palms of Bonham on a freezing afternoon while Lualua blazed over the bar from 18 yards.
Djuricin was inches away from a sublime goal as his curling shot drifted just past the post while at the other end former Real Madrid starlet Jack Harper drilled an effort narrowly over. The closest the home side came to an equaliser arrived with 15 minutes to play as Dylan Barnett's header bounced off the bar before Barbet hacked clear from inside his six-year box.
As time ticked down it was Flemming Pedersen's side who ended the stronger: substitute James Ferry was denied by Walton before the England Under-20 international made an even better save to turn Macleod's deflected shot away to safety in injury time.
Harper had one final chance to deny The Bees victory after a neat one-two but he lacked composure and lifted his powerful effort well over the bar as Brentford held on for the win.
Brentford XI: Jack Bonham; Nico Yennaris (sub Gradi Milenge 88 mins), Chris Mepham, Yoann Barbet, Josh Clarke; Josh McEachran (sub James Ferry 79 mins), Konstantin Kerschbaumer; Andy Gogia (sub Jan Holldack 71 mins), Marco Djuricin (sub Reece Cole 64 mins), Lewis Macleod; Philipp Hofmann