Brentford Under-18s fell to a 3-0 defeat to Cardiff City Under-18s at Jersey Road on Saturday afternoon.
The Professional Development League contest was an even one for the first half, with the sides going into the break 0-0. A second-half hat-trick from Cardiff's Jack Sykes ensured the young Bluebirds took home all three points, however.
The hosts started energetically and put the Cardiff backline under pressure inside the first 30 seconds. Breaking forward into space, Jai Bansoodeb played through to Jacob Hanson, with the midfielder then trying to make his way past multiple defenders. The ball deflected back to Bansoodeb, who looked to shoot from the edge of the box, but his effort was blocked.
Settling into the contest, the visitors came close to opening the scoring on 10 minutes. Meeting Noah Williams’ cross at the back post, Sykes looked to put the ball in the bottom corner of the net, but the shot was kept out by Felix Lyon in goal for Brentford.
On 18 minutes, Isaac Davies pounced on a loose Brentford pass in midfield and immediately looked to lob Lyon, but his long-range effort sailed over the bar.
Soon after, down the other end, Domeiro Bobb-Semple was played through by Hanson down the right side of the box and looked to cross, but Cardiff goalkeeper Samual Jones came out of his goal to clear the danger area.
Naeem Giscombe was causing problems down the left side and, as the half-hour mark approached, he made his way into the box and looked to cross to Bobb-Semple, but the ball was blocked and cleared for a corner.
The Bees' best chance of the half came near the half-time break, Bansoodeb finding space inside the edge of the box and firing at goal, but his effort was kept out by Jones diving quickly to his right.
The second half started fast between the boxes, but chances on goal remained rare.
On 65 minutes, Sykes looked to have space to shoot near the edge of the box, but Chris Cohalan slid in to make a timely tackle.
The stranglehold was broken on 70 minutes as Cardiff found an opener. Pouncing on a loose Brentford pass in their own half, Sykes took possession and drove forward, putting the ball in the bottom right corner.
Jovan Kasujja looked to have put Gary McDermott’s side level with 10 minutes to play, however, he was ruled offside.
Two minutes later, the visitors put the game to bed, Harry Watts putting a superb cross into Sykes at the back post, who tapped it home from close range.
Undeterred, the Bees nearly cut the deficit in half as Bobb-Semple cut the ball back to Hanson, but the midfielder’s effort hit the post.
Two minutes later, Sykes had his hat-trick, the forward smashing it home off Axel Donczew’s assist to secure the win for Cardiff.
McDermott's side turn their attention to a west London derby next, with a trip to QPR awaiting them on 7 March.
Brentford U18s: Lyon, Trimboli (Fanoiki 64), Ogungbemi, Golding (Oladapo-Gamu 64), Cohalan (Zetter-Plummer 82), Y. Ouattara, Trialist (Kasujja 58), Hanson, Bobb-Semple, Bansoodeb, Giscombe
Subs not used: Aprotivolo
Booked: Cohalan 7, Golding 33, Ogungbemi 90+1, Bobb-Semple 90+3
Cardiff City U18s: Jones, Yorke, Williams, Prickett, H. Davies, I. Davies (Tobin 74), Sykes, Watts, Papirnyk (Donczew 62), Moreno, Allmark (Eley 90+4)
Subs not used: Donovan
Booked: I. Davies 49, Williams 90+4