Brentford Under-18s were beaten 2-0 by Burnley Under-18s in their opening game in group D of the U18 Premier League Cup at Barnfield Training Centre.

Goals either side of half-time sunk the west Londoners with James Lewis' first-half free-kick and Warren Taylor's second-half strike sending Brentford home empty-handed.

Burnley started the game fast and put the Bees under early pressure, but Gary McDermott's side found their feet and had their first chance on 10 minutes when Coran Madden nutmegged his man and fired a shot just wide.

Jai Bansoodeb was excellent in the early stages and created chances a plenty. First, the midfielder chopped past his man and smashed an effort at goal, but it was too close to Callum Feeney, before then forcing the Burnley keeper into another good save from a free-kick minutes later.

Felix Lyon was then called into action for the first time in the Brentford net, making a smart stop from Dylan Morison's effort after the ball bounced around in the area following a Burnley corner.

It was the home side who did find the breakthrough straight from a free-kick following Ibrahim Serme's challenge. Lewis stood over the ball and fired his strike off the post and in to make it 1-0 on 25 minutes.

Bansoodeb drew another strong save from Feeney shortly after the restart, before Lyon made quickfire saves from Taylor's efforts to stop it becoming two; the first as Burnley broke on the counter and the second an even better stop to tip the ball behind.

The Bees' shot-stopper did everything possible to keep them in the game heading into the break, making two more fine saves before the half-time whistle.

Jai Nwosu had a good early chance for Brentford in the second half, attempting to chip Feeney but sending his effort too high and over the crossbar.

Lyon continued his excellent form in to the second period, making a huge save from Lewis to deny him and Burnley a second.

Eventually though, the pressure told and the Clarets doubled their lead. The Bees' backline failed to deal with a long goal kick and Taylor lifted the ball over Lyon to make it 2-0 on 54 minutes.

Trialist B went close with 15 minutes to play, latching on to Bansoodeb's cross but turning the ball just wide of the post.

It wasn't to be Brentford's day; Andrew Noni drove through midfield and after Trialist B's cross caused chaos in the box, the ball rattled off the crossbar before Nwosu missed a gilt-edged chance, heading over the top.

Despite the loss in the group opener, there's plenty to play for with games against Manchester City and Southampton U18s ahead as the west Londoners look to progress to the knockout stages.

McDermott's side will look to bounce back in the U18 Premier League on Saturday 29 August when they travel to Little Heath to take on West Ham United (11.30am kick-off BST).

Burnley: Feeney, Murwira, Fletchman, Oshodi, Best, Morison, Borgesson, Leonard, Taylor, Okonkwo, Lewis

Subs: Lo-Tutala, Da Costa, Turahirwa, Ilunga, Huggett, Masara, Lorimer

Brentford: Lyon, Fanoiki, Foster-Jones (Trialist B 72), Danso (Oladapo-Gamu 57), Biggs, Serme (Noni 82), Madden, Cohalan, Kasujja (Trialist A 72), Bansoodeb, Nwosu

Subs: Nicholls, Mason, Trialist C

Booked: Serme 24