With just nine matches of the season to go Brentford headed towards the final international break of the season with so much to play for in the Sky Bet Championship.

The week started well for Mark Warburton’s side as a late Andre Gray goal kept Brentford in the top six after a pulsating 3-2 win at Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers. Rovers led twice but Chris Long’s first-half effort and then a stunning Jota goal pulled The Bees level before Gray reacted first when Jota’s shot was saved to score with five minutes to play.

Then two goals in the final five minutes helped Brentford to secure a point at home to Millwall in an enthralling London derby. Lee Gregory put The Lions ahead in the first-half and they looked on their way to three points when Aiden O’Brien headed home in front of 1,600 Millwall fans in the Brook Road after the break. The Bees piled forward in the closing stages and pulled one back from the spot as Alex Pritchard blasted home before Moses Odubajo was in the right place to slot home in stoppage time to send Brentford into the international break in seventh.

It would be a very busy international break for Brentford players Daniel O’Shaughnessy played 90 minutes as Finland's Under-21s beat Kazakhstan 3-0 in Helsinki before beating Luxembourg 4-1 in Rosport. Moses Odubajo played a key role as England’s Under-20s beat Mexico on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Barnet’s The Hive before impressing again in a 2-1 win over the USA. Chris Long was also in the squad for both matches but was not involved in either win. Stuart Dallas was a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing night for Northern Ireland as he picked up his second cap in a 1-0 defeat to Scotland at Hampden Park. Three days later Stuart picked up a third cap as he helped his country to a key qualifying win at home to Finland at Windsor Park. Alex Pritchard and Liam Moore both started as England’s Under-21s beat their Czech Republic counterparts 1-0 in a friendly before Alex came off the bench to help inspire an England comeback against Germany. Trailing 2-1 after an hour Alex was introduced and he teed up Nathan Redmond to level before James Ward-Prowse scored the winner shortly after.

The Development Squad ran riot at Jersey Road as they beat Barnsley 7-2 in their latest Under-21 Professional Development League Two encounter. Josh Laurent and Courtney Senior scored twice with goals from Jermaine Udumaga, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown and a Logan Jeffs own-goal completing the scoring.  Lee Carsley’s side added another win to their tally four days later as they came from 1-0 down to beat Cardiff City 4-1 at Jersey Road. Jermaine Udumaga scored twice with the other Brentford goals coming from Zain Westbrooke and Herson Rodrigues Alves.

A third win in a week would elude Carsley’s side as Leeds United scored twice in the final 10 minutes at Elland Road. Courtney Senior put Brentford ahead just past the hour but Leeds scored twice late on as The Bees tired to take the points. Another defeat followed as Oliver Burke, Jorge Grant and Jack Blake scored for Nottingham Forest in the first-half at Griffin Park to secure a comfortable 3-0 victory.

A star studded Arsenal line-up, including Abou Diaby, Jack Wilshere, Mathieu Flamini and Mathieu Debuchy ran out 4-0 winners against a Brentford Development Squad XI at London Colney.

Jon De Souza’s Youth Team let a 2-0 lead slip at home to Sheffield United to leave the door open for Charlton Athletic to take top spot in the Under-18 Professional Development League Two South. Reece Cole and Makhosini Khanye had The Bees comfortably ahead at half-time but after Tyrick Mitchell was sent off on his debut The Blades scored twice to grab a point.

In loan news Lionel Stone joined Conference Play-Off hopefuls Woking for a month, he was joined a week later as Emmanuel Oyeleke signed for the Surrey club. Nico Yennaris and Sam Saunders agreed to stay at Wycombe Wanderers until the end of the regular season while Tyrell Miller-Rodney extended his loan spell with Maidenhead United until the end of the season. Also heading out on loan was Richard Lee who joined near neighbours Fulham until the end of the season. One player returning to Griffin Park was Jack O’Connell as he was recalled from his loan spell at Rochdale with Chris Long extending his stay from Everton for a further month.

A good month for Nik Tzanev was completed as he picked up the Youth Team Player of the Year award to add to his New Zealand Under-20 call-up.

Brentford Futsal Club exited the Soccer AM Futsal Plate after a defeat to Mansfield Town in the Second Round at the Birmingham Indoor Arena. There was better news however as Elthorne Park High School, representing Brentford, won the Football League Girls Cup at Wembley ahead of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.

Irn Bru signed a deal to become Official Soft Drink partners of the Football League.