Brentford’s 2015 Dale Farm Milk Cup campaign got off to a disappointing start after a 4-0 defeat to local side County Down.

The result did little to reflect a game which saw The Bees hit the post in either half, have a very close goal-line decision go against them while home goalkeeper Oliver Webber also made a string of fine saves.

The defeat means that The Bees will have to win both their remaining games, starting with American side Strikers FC tomorrow, to retain hope of qualifying for the Milk Cup final.

Down, who went into the game among the pre-tournament favourites, included eight Northern Ireland internationals in their line-up and got off to the perfect start, scoring after five minutes as a left-wing cross deflected off Andrew Gordon and Alex McIlmail slammed home at the far post.

The Bees responded well to going behind and, in Ian Carlo Poveda, had the brightest player on the pitch.

The midfielder forced Webber into a low save before teeing up Showkat Tahir who pulled his shot well wide at the near post.

In blustery and wet conditions Down were getting joy from going more direct in the opening stages and Josh Tipping’s knock-down was headed just wide by Gordon breaking from midfield.

Leo Brown would cause problems all afternoon with his size and pace but he wasted his first sight at goal as his lobbed effort drifted well wide of the target.

As the half wore on Brentford began to get into their passing rhythm and penned the local side back into their own half.

A long, patient spell of Bees possession ended when Danilson Gomez Tavares screwed a shot harmlessly behind before a deflected Emmanuel Sonton shot looped up kindly for Webber.

Increasingly Brown was becoming Down’s only outlet but it was a job he was doing well as he raced in behind the high Brentford back-line only for Marco Tavares to rescue his teammates with a vital block save.

Poveda could, and perhaps should, have levelled five minutes before the break after he left defenders in his wake but he fired his shot straight at Webber from 12 yards, Santon’s close range follow up was bravely blocked by Callum Carson.

The diminutive playmaker was inches away from levelling moments later as his sublime free-kick struck the inside of the post and rolled across the face of the goal with no Brentford player able to turn home the loose ball.

The game took a little while to get going in the second-half but when it did it burst into life in the pivotal 60 seconds of the match.

Tahir broke towards the edge of the box and let fly with a shot that struck the base of the post before cannoning off Webber’s back and rolled back towards the County Down net. Webber launched himself towards the ball and landed on it with the linesman signalling it hadn’t crossed the line.

Buoyed by their close shave County Down streamed forward and the ball was slipped inside to Brown and he made no mistake sliding home from 10 yards.

Brentford pressed forward looking to get back into the game but were hit by a killer blow just past the midpoint of the half as Lee Bailie whipped a ball across the box and when it came to Jack Chambers at the back-post the Down captain steadied himself and curled into the far corner from 20 yards.

To their credit The Bees kept pushing and Webber protected his clean sheet by denying Poveda from 20 yards before producing an even better save to turn the midfielder’s well-struck free-kick behind.

The gloss was added to a dominant performance by Down with three minutes remaining as indecision in the Brentford backline allowed Kai Wardlow time to pick out his spot from 25 yards and guide a fine finish into the bottom corner to complete a miserable afternoon for The Bees.