Jermaine Udumaga scored twice as Brentford's Development Squad came from behind to beat Cardiff City 4-1 at Jersey Road this afternoon.

The Bees were not at their best in the first-half and fell behind early on as Abdi Noor was given the freedom of the penalty area to tuck home Joe Mason's cutback.

Brentford levelled seven minutes before the break as Zain Westbrooke hammered home from 25 yards.

Lee Carsley's side were much improved in the second-half and Udumaga gave them the lead just before the hour from long-range.

Herson Rodrigues Alves marked his first Under-21s appearance with a goal before Udumaga wrapped things up with a deflected free-kick.

Coming into the game on the back of a 7-2 win over Barnsley on Monday Lee made two changes with Mark Smith and Zain Westbrooke coming in for Richard Lee and Jack Warburton.

Brentford had been irresistible at times on Monday but they looked a shadow of that side in the opening stages as Cardiff City enjoyed themselves in the warm spring sunshine.

The Bees struggled to get into their passing rhythm and were putting themselves under pressure by giving the ball away in dangerous areas.

Cardiff took full advantage of The Bees generosity in possession with the opening goal after nine minutes as Mason whipped a ball across the six-yard line and Noor stole in to tap home.

In truth it was a scrappy opening to the match as both sides passed up possession and attacking opportunities readily.

Neither side could get control of the game as Cardiff got numbers behind the ball to break up Brentford's attacking play but when the Bluebirds won the ball back their front pair were often isolated.

Josh Laurent shot straight at Joe Massaro from the edge of the box and Courtney Senior dragged a shot wide after his pace had got him to the edge of the box.

As the half wore on it was The Bees who started to come into the ascendancy with the movement of Emmanuel Oyeleke, Laurent and Udumaga posing problems for the visitors.

Udumaga's shot was deflected behind and from the resultant corner Macauley Southam headed off the line from James Ferry.

Massaro held Udumaga's bouncing shot well but there was nothing the young goalkeeper could have done with Brentford's equaliser.

Westbrooke, making his first ever Development Squad start, played a one-two with Udumaga before unleashing a thunderous effort from outside the D that cannoned in off the post.

Going in level you sensed the momentum had turned in Brentford's favour and that was how it proved.

The Bees were much improved in the early stages of the half as they began to play in areas that threatened the Cardiff goal more.

Senior, who scored twice in the 7-2 win over Barnsley on Monday, combined well with Laurent but his shot was held by the visiting goalkeeper.

Lee Carsley's side didn't have to wait much longer for their second goal as Udumaga beat a couple of challenges on the edge of the box before curling a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.

Brentford were now in control of the game but they were giving Cardiff hope with some sloppy defensive play.

Smith had already had to race out to deal with a couple of underhit backpasses before Gradi Milenge telegraphed a ball back to the keeper which Noor nipped in to intercept but, from a tight angle, his shot rolled across the face of goal.

Tyler Roche also shot across the face of goal but the majority of action was still happening at the other end.

Massaro showed a safe pair of hands to hold an effort from Udumaga before he denied Kyjuon Marsh-Brown at his near post.

The Bees did get a third with 15 minutes to go as Rodrigues Alves controlled and turned all in one movement on the edge of the box, ran towards goal, dummied the goalkeeper and stroked home from close range.

That third goal killed the game off as a contest but did nothing to dampen The Bees desire to get more goals.

Oyeleke shot straight at the visiting goalkeeper but, with four minutes to go, a fourth goal for Brentford did arrive as Udumaga's free-kick took a wicked deflection to completely wrong-foot Massaro.

Cardiff came the closest to finding the back of the net after that but Josh Yorwerth volleyed over from close range.

The win moves Brentford to within five points of second-placed Cardiff ahead of Monday's trip to Leeds United.

Brentford DS: Mark Smith; Josh Clarke, Gradi Milenge, Daniel O'Shaughnessy, Aaron Greene; James Ferry, Josh Laurent; Emmanuel Oyeleke (sub Tom Field 83 mins), Zain Westbrooke (sub Herson Rodrigues Alves 62 mins), Courtney Senior (sub Kyjuon Marsh-Brown 72 mins); Jermaine Udumaga

Subs not used: Audrius Laucys

Cardiff City DS: Joe Massaro; Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, Josh Yorwerth, Curtis Watkins, Dylan Rees (sub Ashley Bauer 78 mins); Macauley Southam, Kagisho Dikgacoi (sub Robbie Patten 46 mins), Ben Watkins, Tyler Roche; Joe Mason (sub Tidjane Balde 46 mins), Abdi Noor

Subs not used: Luke Wakeman, Jamie Veale