Reece Cole believes his side need to take their chances after a 1-1 draw at home to Birmingham City on Saturday morning.

Brentford had a number of chances to take the lead in an entertaining first-half which Jeremy Steele’s side dominated.

The Bees did take the lead five minutes into the second-half through Courtney Senior but were pegged back five minutes later as David Poppa found the back of the net.

The final 30 minutes were an end-to-end affair in which both sides had a number of chances to win the game.

Speaking to Bees Player after the game Reece said his side dominated the first-half and should have been out of sight by half-time.

“I thought we did well,” said Reece.

“We started off well and were dominating them.

“We were doing everything that we had been doing in training this week.

“In the second-half it just slipped.

“They came out pressing high and we couldn’t deal with it.

“Their pressing in the second-half killed us.

“It could have finished up with a lot of goals.

“We didn’t take our chances in the first-half.

“Joshua Bohui had a few chances but we just need to be a bit more clinical.

“We have been good going forward this year and our combinations in and around the box have been good.

“You win your games by scoring goals so you have to get it in the back of the net.”

Saturday’s draw means it is one defeat in four for the Youth Team this season following wins against Millwall and Barnsley and last week’s narrow 1-0 defeat to QPR.

Reece started five games for the Youth Team last season and he believes there is a noticeably better atmosphere around the dressing room than there was last season.

The midfielder said that everyone in the Youth Team squad gets on well and that is something being helped by and helping with the good early season results.

“Losing only one game in four is good,” said Reece.

“We have got a few points on the board already but we have got to build and get back to winning ways again.

“Last year there were a few more groups in the changing room.

“This year everyone is getting on and there is good morale: everyone is happy.

“Getting on off the pitch is key because when it comes to on the pitch you have got to be able to play together as well.

“You have got to know what your teammates are like.”

As an Under-16 playing Under-18s football last season Reece said it was a big step up.

Playing against players two years older than him Reece felt it was a big mental and physical challenge.

However now that he is in  the Youth Team squad full-time Reece is glad of the experience gained last season adding that it is good to see so many First-Year Scholars getting match experience already this season.

Thirteen First-Year scholars and Under-16s have already represented the Youth Team this season and Reece thinks that can only be a good thing for the Youth Team as a whole.

“Mentally and physically it has helped playing up,” said Reece.

“Being an Under-16 playing Under-18 football is hard but you have to deal with it.

“Doing that has helped me this year.

“The physical side is big for a first-year because most sides want to play their second-years.

“As a first-year you have to put yourself out there when you are on the pitch.

“It helps seeing boys of your own age playing as it is a good thing for first-years to be getting into the squad.

“It is a big squad this year and there are lots of second-years so for first-years to be getting in the squad is good.”

With the return from injury of last season’s Youth Team captain James Ferry there is now real competition for places in the centre of midfield.

Zain Westbrooke has started all four Under-18 Professional Development League Two South games this season while George Harmes, Jeremiah Kamanzi and Anthony Guppy have all impressed when featuring in the centre of midfield.

Reece said it is great to have those options in the centre of midfield and that the competition for places is only helping to make them better players.

“We have got a lot of options in the midfield so it is hard to get in the squad as there is a lot of competition for places,” said Reece.

“You have to make sure that you push yourself and impress in training during the week.

“It is making us better players knowing that we have got competition for the game on the Saturday.

“Zain helps me quite a lot in the midfield as he is very vocal and he helps me through things and James helps me as well.

“I want to keep the shirt, keep playing Under-18s football and go on from there.”