Brentford Under-18s made it two Professional Development League wins in a week against Swansea City Under-18s on Saturday as they cruised to a 4-0 victory at Robert Rowan Performance Centre.
Beau Redknapp scored a first-half brace, with Jai Bansoodeb also netting in the opening half. Yerime Ouattara's second-half strike ensured the young Bees claimed their third win in a row.
With the sun shining in west London, the game started evenly. Both sides are enjoying time on the ball without being able to piece it together in the final third.
On 15 minutes, the visitors had their first chance on goal through Milo Robinson. A Swansea corner was whipped into a dangerous area and bumbled around in the box before falling off the pack to Robinson, who looked to score off the half-volley, but the ball cannoned into the bar.
Just one minute later, the stranglehold was broken through Bansoodeb. Winning the ball back in Swansea’s half, Bansoodeb found himself one-on-one with young Swans goalkeeper Jakub Nowak and made no mistake as he fired home to give the west Londoners an early lead.
Brentford’s advantage was doubled 10 minutes later through Redknapp. The midfielder played a short corner to Otis Honor, who sent the ball straight back to Redknapp. With space in front of him, the no.8 made his way into the box and fired the ball into the top right corner.
Riding a wave of momentum, the Bees nearly had a third soon after. Honor’s corner found Nathaniel Ogungbemi at the back post, whose glancing header was saved, Jovan Kasujja and Jai Nwosu then both attempted to tap it in from close range but both efforts were saved.
On 29 minutes, the Swans came close to halving the deficit. Receiving a cross from the left side, Bobby Lewis looked to put the ball in the bottom left corner, but his effort was kept out by the diving hand of Brentford goalkeeper Connor Wolfheimer.
Down the other end, Redknapp had his second as Gary McDermott’s side started to run away with the game. A neat flick on from Nwosu gave Redknapp space in the box, as the midfielder found the back of the net with a nice finish for the hosts’ third.
In control of the contest, the Bees were inches away from a fourth as half-time approached. Winning the ball back in Swansea's half for a second time, Bansoodeb noticed Nowak was off his line and looked to score from outside the box, but his effort bounced just to the right of the goal.
Ouattara replaced Kasujja at the break and had an immediate impact on the game. Running onto Trialist B’s ball through the Swansea backline, the Brentford no.15 made no mistake as he finished neatly into the bottom left corner.
While the game continued at a fast pace as both teams looked to their substitutes, chances dried up for both sides.
Josiah Kallicharan looked to change that for Swansea as he fired at goal from outside the box, but his effort was matched by Wolfheimer diving quickly to his left.
With 10 minutes to play, Chris Cohalan found space through the middle off Redknapp’s pass and immediately played to Ouattara down the right side. His cross hit Bansoodeb in the middle of the box, but his shot sailed over the bar.
Eyeing a hat-trick, Redknapp came inches from completing it as the game entered added time. Played down the right side of the box by Ouattara, Redknapp fired at goal, but it was saved by Nowak.
The ensuing corner was played short, Redknapp then finding Ouattara in the box, who set the ball for Redknapp to run onto. His left-footed curler was tipped by Nowak into the bar before being cleared by the visitors.
With a 4-0 win under their belt, the Bees turn their attention to Huddersfield Town at Wheatsheaf Park next Saturday from 11.30am.
Brentford U18s: Wolfheimer, Trimboli (Fanoiki 70), Ogungbemi (Lawal 70), Trialist A, Oladapo-Gamu, Honor, Bansoodeb, Redknapp, Kasujja (Y. Ouattara HT), Trialist B (Cohalan 62), Nwosu
Subs not used: Lyon
Swansea City U18s: Nowak, Clarke (Kallicharan HT), Thomas (Harding 58), Robinson, May, Singer (Baker 58), Johnston, Jones, Gray (Hassan 58), Lewis (Hughes 69), Godfrey
Booked: Godfrey 77