An Isaac Holland header saw Brentford B leave the Estádio Algarve with a 1-0 victory in their final game of the Atlantic Cup.

After a tight first half, Neil MacFarlane’s side showed great desire and commitment in their second half performance as substitute Holland scored the only goal of the game leading the young Bees to victory.

The first chance of the game fell to Halmstads’ Viktor Granath when the number nine got onto the end of a deep cross from the right flank and took the ball down well only to see his close-range effort saved by Vincent Angelini in the Brentford net.

Moments later Granath was at the heart of the action again, this time his flicked on header found Erik Ahlstrand inside the Brentford box, but the number 10 dragged his shot wide of the post from eight yards.

The young Bees grew into the game and saw their first opportunity come on 21 minutes following a brilliant 40-yard pass from Alex Gilbert which found Michael Olakigbe with space on the left flank. The winger cut inside and curled a shot towards the far post, but the Halmstads keeper got down fast to make a smart fingertip save.

Brentford B celebrate Isaac Holland's winner

On the half-hour mark, Brentford came close again after Ryan Trevitt linked up well with Olakigbe allowing the wide man space to deliver a deadly cross into the box.

The cross found Gilbert at the far post who struck the ball on the volley but his effort which looked goal bound was blocked well by Joseph Baffoe.

In what was a competitive opening 45 minutes where both teams threatened to find the back of the net, the best chances of the half came just a minute between each other.

On 38 minutes Halmstads' Granath found Kazper Karlsson in space inside the Brentford box following a great cross, but the forward completely mistimed his volley with his effort flying wide.

The young Bees came agonisingly close moments later when Trevitt broke through the Swedish side's midfield finding Max Dickov who just had the goalkeeper to beat but the Brentford number two was denied by Malkolm Nilsson Säfqvist.

The second half proved to be a scrappier affair with both sides finding any clearcut opportunities hard to come by.

Olakigbe continued to look bright for Brentford in the wide areas but was left frustrated when he saw his long-range effort fly over the bar on 64 minutes.

Romeo Beckham showed positive signs when he came off the bench for the young Bees, the 20-year-old played an exquisite cross-field pass to Olakigbe from the right channel with the winger coming inside from the left wing, but his strike was kept out again by Säfqvist.

After looking the better side for long periods of the second half Brentford finally broke the deadlock on 79 minutes.

The goal came courtesy of three Neil MacFarlane substitutions, a Lucias Vine cross from the left channel was flicked on and then excellently nodded into the corner by Holland putting Brentford in a great position heading into the final 10 minutes.

Halmstads had one final effort denied in injury when Karlsson’s strike from 25 yards was saved by Roco Rees who was between the sticks in the second half and ensured Brentford’s victory in their final game of the competition.

Brentford B: Angelini (Rees, 45’), Dickov (Beckham, 57’), Adedokun (Mcmanus, 57’), Oyegoke (Wilson, 57’), Crama, Jones (Yogane, 76’), Olakigbe (Vine, 76’), Waruih (Syla, 69’), Bennett (Lisbie, 57’), Gilbert (Holland, 76’), Trevitt (Wilcox, 69’)

Subs not used: Tavaziva, Booth

Halmstads BK: Säfqvist, Johansson, Baffoe (Wallentin, 45’), Allansson (Svedberg, 45’), Karlsson, Granath (Hedenberg, 69’), Ahlstrand, Granath , Ofosu-Ayeh (Sjoland, 45’), Nohammed, Hierststrand (Boakye, 69’)

Subs: Påhlsson, Dahlstrom, Ahlstrand, Carlsson, Parallangaj, Olsson, Mehmeti, Johansson

Booked: Karlsson, Svedberg