Flemming Pedersen’s Development Squad ended their campaign on a disappointing note as they slumped to a 4-2 defeat away at Coventry City this afternoon in their final U21 Professional Development League Two fixture of the season. Things started well for The Bees as Jan Holldack put them ahead after 12 minutes, converting Kyjuon Marsh-Brown’s cross, but the hosts were level before the break as Kyle Spence netted. The Bees never got going after the break and George Thomas made it 2-1 to The Sky Blues a minute after the restart. Ben Stevenson and Thomas both found the net in the final half-hour, either side of Nathan Fox’s strike, to ensure that Brentford’s campaign finished with defeat.

Neither side had much to play for when it came to league positions and that showed in the opening minutes of the match, which were littered with misplaced passes and poor balls in the final third. It took 12 minutes for either side to put together a meaningful attack and when they did it was The Bees who went in front. Kyjuon Marsh-Brown flashing in a low cross from the right, Holldack’s initial effort was blocked but when it came back to the German midfielder he made no mistake to tuck home his 14th of the season. The Sky Blues were nearly back on level terms immediately as Thomas pulled an effort narrowly wide. James Ferry then drove a shot straight at Corey Addai from a tight angle before Thomas missed a great chance to level for the hosts, hitting the side netting after capitalising on a sloppy ball out of defence.

Addai again proved equal to what The Bees could throw at him with a smart plunging save to deny Bradley Clayton and former Brentford player Stephen Hunt fired over a free-kick from 30 yards before The Sky Blues were gifted a leveller. Jarvis Edobor’s ball out of defence was picked off by Vladimir Gadzhev, the tall midfielder finding Bilal Sayoud who crossed for Spence to nod home at the back post. Holldack was seeing plenty of the ball in advanced areas and his clever chipped ball set Marsh-Brown free but Addai was out quickly to narrow the angle and block. The duo combined again moments later, this time Holldack could only steer Marsh-Brown’s cross agonisingly wide of the back post. The hosts were inches away from going in ahead at the break as Devon Kelly-Evans struck the outside of the post after Chris Mepham had given the ball away.

It had been a very disjointed first-half performance from The Bees and the second-half couldn’t have started any worse for Pedersen’s side. From the kick-off Coventry broke and, although Thomas curled wide, they quickly won the ball back from the goal kick, this time Thomas made no mistake from 10 yards after controlling Stevenson’s long-range effort. Ferry had a golden chance to level almost instantly but he headed over, unmarked, from four yards after the home side failed to clear a corner and after that Coventry took control. The home side only had one tactic, which was to look long for the run of Thomas in behind, but, with Brentford playing a high line and Thomas always on the shoulder of the last defender, it worked time and again.

Balcombe made a good save to palm away Sayoud’s fierce drive with Mepham clearing Stevenson’s follow-up off the line before Coventry’s game plan bore fruit. Thomas charged down the left-hand side and crossed low for Stevenson to stretch out a long leg and divert the ball past Balcombe from close range. The 16-year-old goalkeeper might have been beaten three times but he was working hard to keep the score down. Sayoud and Thomas both saw shots beaten away by the young goalkeeper before he made a brilliant one-on-one stop to deny Thomas his second goal. Those save were made to look even more important as Brentford dragged their way back into the game with 17 minutes to play. A quickly taken free-kick freed Fox and he cut inside Jacob Whitmore before curling past Addai from 12 yards.

The goal didn’t, however, change the dynamic of the game as Balcombe continued to be the busier stopper. Sayoud, Spence and Stevenson all saw effort repelled before the hosts wrapped up the game with five minutes to play from the penalty spot. In truth it was a very soft penalty award as the referee adjudged the minimal contact between Mepham and Sayoud to be a foul but Thomas made no mistake from 12 yards, beating Balcombe low to his left. The home side could have added a fifth in injury time as Jordan Shipley ran in behind and pulled back for Sayoud but Mepham got his body in the way to keep the score down to four on an afternoon to forget for The Bees.

Coventry City:  Corey Addai; Jacob Whitmore, Dion Kelly-Evans, Cian Harries, Stephen Hunt; Kyle Spence (sub Jak Hickman 85 mins), Vladimir Gadzhev (sub Callum Maycock 75 mins), Ben Stevenson, Bilal Sayoud; Devon Kelly-Evans (sub Jordan Shipley 53 mins), George Thomas Subs not used: Konrad Skuza, Kyle Finn

Brentford: Ellery Balcombe; Jeremiah Kamanzi (sub Giovanni McGregor 65 mins), Chris Mepham, Jarvis Edobor, Nathan Fox; James Ferry (sub Julius Fenn-Evans 65 mins), Jan Holldack; Kyjuon Marsh-Brown, Zain Westbrooke, Josh Bohui (sub Herson Alves 75 mins); Bradley Clayton Subs not used: Dimmy Kyriatzis, Danny Parish