Decarrey Sherriff’s penalty 20 minutes from time denied Brentford’s Youth Team a win, as they played out a 1-1 draw with Colchester United in challenging conditions at Florence Park this afternoon.

On a slick surface Brentford had the better of the early stages, and though they were forced into a change early on when left-back Tyrick Mitchell fell awkwardly, they took the lead in the final minute of stoppage time through Luke Dunn.

United equalised when Sheriff was hacked down by Tony Guppy after 68 minutes and sent Cameron Greaves the wrong way with his penalty; and there was late drama as a Ian Carlo Poveda corner looked to have crossed the line but referee Anthony Coulter waved away appeals.

In the absence of Jon De Souza, Assistant Coach Gabriel Flores named a side primarily made up of first-year scholars, with Sean Bird replacing Chris Mepham at the heart of defence, whilst George Harmes, Poveda and Guppy also returned to the starting lineup.

Despite the sodden pitch, it took the visitors less than ten minutes to carve out the game’s first opportunity when George Harmes surged forward and played in Courtney Austin, who squared for Julius Fenn-Evans, only for the midfielder to skew a wayward shot over the bar.

Despite the encouraging attacking signs Colchester were displaying, Greaves was untested in the Brentford goal until Josce Syrett made a pressing run at goal and let fly from 20 yards; the shot clattered off the post to safety.

The latest central defensive partnership of Birse and Bird was proving solid but was nearly undone when Birse misjudged a header, allowing Tariq Issa space; Bird’s last ditch block diverted the shot over the bar.

Colchester were becoming more of a threat but their momentum was slowed when an injury to Mitchell halted the game for more than five minutes. The 16-year-old left-back fell on his head after challenging for a header and was eventually taken off as a precaution after a medical examination.

Josh Bohui skimmed the top of the crossbar after 42 minutes and Syrett had a perfectly positioned free-kick blocked, before Brentford finally went in front in stoppage time when Bohui’s deep cross found right-back Luke Dunn at the far post and he expertly fired into the roof of the net from 15 yards.

Early in the second half, the Bees had numerous opportunities to extend the advantage and were nearly punished for their failure to score ten minutes in, when right-back Jamie Stephens unleashed an effort from long distance that Greaves did well to tip over.

Substitute Kingsley Eshun failed to find a connection when Bohui’s effort was palmed into his path by goalkeeper Danny Boness, and minutes later Brentford were pegged back when Sherriff was hacked down and awarded a penalty, which he stroked down the middle past Greaves.

Tony Guppy – the unlikely goalscorer against Millwall three weeks ago – attempted to repeat his goalscoring exploits with a speculative trivela shot that almost caused Boness nighmares.

The final ten minutes of the game were tense to say the least; Diaz Wright was pulled down by Poveda on the edge of the area, with the resulting free-kick mere inches from falling at the feet of the onrushing Syrett.

Goalscorer Dunn then won a corner that was dangerously swung in by Poveda and looked to have crossed the line, but Brentford claims were not even so much as  investigated by the referee.

A final opportunity was wasted by the visitors in stoppage time when Courtney Austin was fouled by Ryan Clampin on the edge of the area but Poveda’s short ball to Harmes was blocked and the young Bees went without a win for another week.

Brentford: Cameron Greaves, Luke Dunn, Sean Bird, Zach Birse, Tyrick Mitchell (Kingsley Eshun 34), George Harmes, Julius Fenn-Evans, Tony Guppy, Josh Bohui, Ian Carlo Poveda, Courtney Austin

Subs (not used): Ross McMahon, Harry Francis

Colchester United: Danny Bonness, Jamie Stephens, Jake Mulryne, Diaz Wright, Joe Tennent, Jacob Partridge, George Brown, Josce Syrett, Decarrey Sherriff (Joshua Moore 73), Tariq Issa (Eoin McKeown 63), Ryan Clampin

Subs (not used): Callum Robinson, Ross Debrick