Rhys Healy’s brace helped Cardiff City inflict Brentford’s first Under-21 Professional Development League Two South defeat of the season at a wet Cardiff City Stadium.

Kevin Nicholson’s side were well worth the three points given to them thanks to two goals in the opening quarter from Matty Kennedy and Healy and then Healy’s penalty 10 minutes from time.

In between the hosts had numerous chances to extend their lead as they replaced The Bees at the head of the Under-21 league table.

The Bees made two changes from the side that beat Queens Park Rangers last time out with Jack O’Connell and Nico Yennaris replaced by first-year professionals Gradi Milenge and Zain Westbrooke.

It was the hosts who started far the brighter, pressing high up the pitch and forcing Brentford in to errors in possession in dangerous areas with the wide players Kennedy and Tyler Roche pushing on to prevent easy possession for any of the Brentford back four.

Brentford were finding it difficult to play out of their defensive area and when they did surrender possession The Bluebirds had no hesitation in going straight for goal.

Roche shot tamely straight at Bonham but from the next turnover the impressive Kennedy drove into the box and fired across The Bees goalkeeper and in via the base of the post.

Healy headed straight at Bonham while, following a rare Brentford attack in the opening stages, Montell Moore dragged wide from inside the D.

Jazzi Barnum-Bobb’s delicious cross was headed onto the roof of the net by Healy but the lively striker made no mistake with his next sight at goal as he chased down Semi Ajayi’s headed clearance and calmly rolled home past Bonham.

Tom James fired an effort at distance straight at the Brentford goalkeeper before The Bees, managed by Kevin O’Connor in the absence of Lee Carsley who was away with the England Under-20 set-up, began to get a foothold in the game.

With Courtney Senior and Moore getting on the ball The Bees were able to play through the Cardiff press more effectively as the half wore on.

A good spell of possession from the visitors ended as Zain Westbrooke shot straight at Luke O’Reilly from the edge of the box and Moore saw his well-struck effort cannon away to safety off James.

The hosts, sensing that Brentford were getting up a head of steam, dropped Theo Warton alongside Robbie Patten in front of the back four and switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation, getting bodies behind the ball and forcing The Bees to try and play through a blue wall.

The Bees saw plenty of the ball as the game neared the interval but couldn’t pick a pass through the disciplined ranks of home defenders, Ajayi’s miscued header which called O’Reilly in a regulation save being the only attempt on goal fashioned before the break.

Cardiff started the second-half with much more invention and forward purpose and went close to adding a third five minutes after the break as Healy glanced Jazzi Barnum-Bobb’s header wide of the back post.

A fine Audrius Laucys tackle denied Kennedy as he looked set to shoot from close range, Roche missed his kick from 10 yards and Kennedy fired wide as City controlled the opening stages of the second period.

Wharton missed a gilt-edged chance to put the game to bed on the hour as he sidefooted Healy’s cutback wide from eight yards and Healy passed up an even better chance three minutes later as he found row Z from 12 yards with only Bonham to beat.

Tom Field tested the handling of O’Reilly in the wet conditions with a low drive from 20 yards before the hosts wrapped things up from the spot with 10 minutes to play.

Gradi Milenge felled Healy in the box and the striker stepped up to roll home, sending Bonham the wrong way.

Kennedy shot low at Bonham from the edge of the area while at the other end James Ferry had O’Reilly scrambling across his fine with a fierce low drive.

Bonham got down well to deny Kennedy and Healy in quick succession late on but in the end the three goals were enough to send City top and send Brentford back down the M4 with their first defeat of the season.

Cardiff City Development Squad: Luke O’ Reilly; Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, Semi Ajayi, Curtis Watkins, Tom James (sub Luke Wakeman 82 mins); Robbie Patten, Theo Wharton (sub Tom Burridge 67 mins), Matty Kennedy; Rhys Healey, Macauley Southam (sub Abdi Noor 72 mins), Tyler Roche Subs not used: Dylan Rees, Jordan Blaise

Brentford Development Squad: Jack Bonham; Josh Clarke (sub Audrius Laucys 46 mins), Gradi Milenge, Daniel O’Shaughnessy, Tom Field; James Ferry, Zain Westbrooke (sub Bradley Clayton 78 mins); Montell Moore, Jan Holldack (sub Josh Bohui 66 mins), Courtney Senior; Jermaine Udumaga Subs not used: Aaron Greene, Seika Jatta