A young Brentford Under-18s side drew 2-2 with Forest Green Under-18s at Wheatsheaf Park in their final pre-season friendly.

Gary McDermott's side, which featured members of the Under-16s, went two goals ahead through Oliver Theobald and a trialist, before Forest Green came from behind to level the clash with two late second-half goals.

Ellis Foster-Jones made a brilliant recovery tackle to deny Forest Green an early lead; Zemen Osawe received a reverse pass into his feet but the Brentford centre-back timed his sliding challenge perfectly just as the striker was about to let fly.

Felix Lyon was then called into action on 11 minutes as Jacob Robinson broke into the box on the left, the Bees' keeper holding on well to his left-footed strike.

McDermott's side's first chance came on the quarter-hour mark, when Ethan Balogun met Benedict Nutter's in-swinging free-kick but headed wide of the far post under pressure.

The visitors had started well - Osawe fired into the side-netting and Gennaro Bifulco bent a caressed effort just wide of the post after a clever bring-down and flick from the former, giving Brentford a serious wake-up call.

First, Balogun rode a challenge in midfield and played in Theobald, whose low strike was parried by the legs of Max Connor in the Rovers' net. Then, Connor made a brilliant one-handed save from Dyan Evans' header when the ball looked destined to bounce into the top corner.

The game continued to ebb and flow, but it was Forest Green who had the next big chance when Foster-Jones was caught in possession and Bifulco was given a free strike at goal, which Lyon blocked well with his legs and was able to gratefully hold on to the spinning ball as the sides went into the break goalless and level.

Nutter opened the second half positively for the west Londoners, firing an effort at goal after some intricate footwork on the edge of the box, but his strike was too close to the Rovers' keeper.

Lyon was then forced into a good save after Robinson stole the ball from Nutter inside the area and the Bees keeper had to spring to his right to palm the ball to safety.

Trialist B and A then combined for the young Bees, with the latter chopping inside his man in the box and smashing a powerful effort off the crossbar.

Then, on 59 minutes, McDermott's side found the lead. Theobald bought the ball down well from a throw-in and played in Balogun, who fizzed the ball in to Trialist A. The winger cut inside and found an excellent finish to make it 1-0.

Brentford had found their feet, and when Balogun's super skill and quick feet earned the west Londoners a penalty on 65 minutes, Theobald converted down the middle to make it two in quick succession.

They quickly learned that the game was not put to bed yet. Forest Green went straight down the other end, taking advantage of Kai Agyei's loose pass and finding James Hamilton-Gill inside the area who fired home to make it 2-1.

A combination of Agyei and Curtis Lane had to make a vital block on 76 minutes after the ball was squared to the back post, before Theobald almost had a second with a half-volleyed effort that was saved with a strong hand from Ben Rogers.

With ten minutes to play, Rovers levelled the game after a long ball over the top was cleared by Agyei but deflected straight into the path of Cody Gickuaire who could tap into an empty net.

There were half-chances for both sides in the final stages but neither could find a winner and the game ended level at 2-2.

Brentford: Lyon (Agyei 60), Biggs (Lane 32), Forster (Trialist B 57), Evans, Foster-Jones (Owen 72), Nutter, Mason, Balogun, Theobold, Noni (Belhaj 66), Trialist A (Williams 79)

Booked: Foster-Jones 45+2

Forest Green Rovers: Connor (Rogers HT), Trigg, Dolbear, Hewlett, Styles, Malpass (Notton-Brown 74), Williams (Rehmenwala 74), Robinson, Osawe (Bedden 74), Bifulco (Gickuaire 54), Badham (Hamilton-Gill 63)