A youthful Brentford Development squad line-up were beaten by Queens Park Rangers in a West London derby.

QPR won the Under-21 Professional Development League Two South match at Brentford’s Traini9ng Ground 2-1, coming from behind to take the points.

The Bees included just four professionals – Alfie Mawson, Raphaël Calvet, Joe Maloney and Josh Clarke – while the QPR team featured former England international Luke Young and Modibo Maïga, the Mali international on loan from West Ham United.

Maïga scored the first for QPR, equalising an early Montell Moore goal, and Sam Magri scored the winner in the second half for the visitors.

Brentford had chances to get something from the match, a physical encounter that was more akin to First Team football than many games at this level, but could not manage a share of the spoils.

The Bees did, however, get the best possible start, going in front inside the first four minutes.

Trialist Jack Jeffries picked up a poor clearance from QPR goalkeeper Joe Lumley and got The Bees moving forward, a pass from Jermaine Udumaga was dummied by Michael Onovwigun and Moore, in off the left placed a low shot out of the reach of the visiting stopper and in to the net.

There were few chances in the first half but QPR had the better of them.

Bruno Andrade shot wide when a free kick was half cleared and Michael Petrasso headed wide before Mo Shariff nodded off target when well placed.

Moore had a shot blocked for The Bees and a low Clarke effort was saved before Calvet prevented a Petrasso shot testing Melvin Minter at the other end.

Petrasso missed a great chance just before the half hour, firing over following good work by Shariff, Maïga and Andrade but the visitors did not have to wait much longer for their goal.

Brentford played their part in their own downfall when Minter failed to clear properly after playing a shot goal kick to Maloney and getting it back, Maïga picked up the ball, ran almost unchallenged in to the penalty area in the inside left channel and fired in to the far corner.

Coll Donaldson headed over for the visitors and Udumaga blocked a fierce Maïga effort following a free kick awarded when Minter picked up a back pass.

Brentford started the second half well, they moved the ball in a better way through the midfield and utilised the pace of Clarke.

He sensed a weakness in QPR left back Darnell Furlong and exploited it over and over again in the second period.

The winger almost scored early in the second half, cutting inside and firing just wide and both teams could have got their noses in front soon after.

A QPR corner was half cleared, Petrasso’s shot was blocked and Minter made a fine punch as Magri prepared to head in.

Brentford broke quickly, Clarke got away down the right, Moore’s low shot was saved, Onovwigun was crowded out as he tried to force it in and Jeffries somehow scooped the ball over from close range.

An Onovwigun header was blocked soon after, as was a shot on the turn from Moore.

At the other end, Jordan Gibbons – who was perhaps fortunate to stay on in the first half following a horrific scything tackle on Moore – lashed over and Shariff curled a free kick over from a tight angle.

Shariff wasted an even better chance soon after when Minter and Calvet got in a mess dealing with a long ball, the defender headed it past his keeper, who came rushing out rather than waiting for the nod back, and the QPR striker got in, but he stumbled, Minter made a recovery save and Mawson cleared.

QPR’s second goal, which proved to be the winner, came just past the hour mark.

Gibbons curled a free kick deep to the back post where Magri rose to head back across Minter and in to the corner from a narrow angle.

Brentford tried to respond – a Moore effort was cleared off the line by Aaron Mitchell when a free kick was played in low and George Pilbeam turned a corner wide at the near post.

But with ten minutes to go Mawson was taken off on a stretcher with a serious looking injury and The Bees lost both their momentum and one of their key players.

In the later stages, QPR looked most likely to get the next goal.

Petrasso fired against the post from 20 yards and Minter saved from Maïga.

They should have scored when Shariff got away from Gradi Milenge on the by-line, after Brentford had wasted possession in their right back area, he rounded Minter and fired in a shot but Maloney was there to block and Maïga fired the loose ball over.

Maïga then had a header blocked and a shot saved while Shariff’s follow-up effort was saved by Minter and Milenge blocked Petrasso’s shot.

Brentford could find no way back in to the game and QPR took the points.

Brentford Development Squad: Melvin Minter; Lionel Stone (sub George Pilbeam 65 mins), Alfie Mawson (sub Fabian Rowe 80 mins), Raphaël Calvet, Richard Bryan; Jermaine Udumaga, Joe Maloney, Michael Onovwigun; Josh Clarke, Jack Jeffries (sub Gradi Milenge 75 mins), Montell Moore

Subs (not used): Joe Taylor

Queens Park Rangers Development Squad: Joe Lumley; Luke Young, Coll Donaldson, Sam Magri, Darnell Furlong; Michael Petrasso, Aaron Mitchell, Jordan Gibbons, Bruno Andrade (sub David Fitzpatrick 85 mins); Modibo Maïga, Mo Shariff

Subs (not used): Aaron Lennox, Angelo Balanta, Harly Wise, George Butler

By Chris Wickham