Brentford Under-21s’ run of two-straight wins came to an end on Friday night, as they lost 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-21s in Premier League 2 action.
A first-half goal saw Wolves go into the break at Wheatsheaf Park ahead, a second-half strike securing all three points for the visitors.
On a misty west London night it was Wolves who applied early pressure on the Brentford goal. Inside two minutes Wes Okoduwa found himself in space outside the box and made the most of it by launching the ball goalward, but Bees goalkeeper Aidan Stokes was up to the task, securing the ball as he dived low to his right.
As the game hit 10 minutes Tom Edozie looked to create a shot on target inside Brentford’s box, the winger taking two touches to his right before firing at goal, the ball sailing over the bar.
On 17 minutes Sam Saunders' side pieced together their best early move as Andre Grey’s long ball freed up Domeiro Bobb-Semple down the left side. The winger pushed into the box and looked to attack the goal with his left foot, but the effort was blocked out for a corner.
As the half-hour mark approached the west Londoners broke forward on the counter attack. Riley Owen found Ollie Shield in the midfield who swiftly sent the ball Isaac Holland’s way. The forward made his way into the box before playing the ball back to Shield who looked to score with his first touch, but his effort was blocked.
Down the other end the visitors broke the stranglehold. A well-placed corner fell off the pack to Edozie, the no.11 taking a touch off his chest before firing the ball into the top right corner off the volley.
Stokes was called into action on 39 minutes as a well-placed corner was headed towards the bottom right corner, the Brentford goalkeeper diving quickly to his left to secure the ball before it crossed the line.
The Bees’ shot-stopper was forced to make another save three minutes later as Enso Gonzalez looked to score at the near post deep in Brentford’s box, Stokes keeping the ball out for a Wolves’ corner.
Out of the break Saunders’ side started promisingly and were inches from equalising on 54 minutes. Bobb-Semple’s pass in front of Luca Picotto down the left side allowed the left-back to run into the visitors’ box before firing at goal. Wolves’ goalkeeper Joshua Gracey did well to dive low to his left and tip the ball away from the goal.
Five minutes later Lucas Rawlings found himself with a free look on goal near the edge of Brentford’s box and sent the ball goalward. Despite taking a small deflection it was secured by Stokes standing tall between the sticks.
As the hour mark came and went the Bees continued to search for an equaliser. Picotto looked to provide it as he worked some magic with his feet in a confined space, getting away from multiple defenders before firing at goal from the edge of the box, but his effort sailed over the bar.
Three minutes later the visitors had their second. Breaking forward into the Bees’ box Emilio Ballard-Matthews wasted little time in firing at goal, the ball racing underneath Stokes’ outstretched arm and into the back of the net.
The Bees now turn their attention to Jersey Mike’s Trophy action next, a trip to Crawley Town awaiting them on Tuesday night with a 7:30pm kick-off.
Brentford U21s: Stokes, Wheeler-Henry (Klimas 83), Picotto, Avenell, Grey, Gorman (Giscombe 69), Shield, Owen, Holland, Hanson (Oladapo-Gamu HT), Bobb-Semple (Nwosu 64)
Subs not used: Wolfheimer, Trimboli, Powis
Booked: Avenell 27, Bobb-Semple 29
Wolves U21s: Gracey, Okoduwa, Dayman, Olagunju (Lochhead HT), Ojinnaka (O’Donnell 70), Abbey (Bradbury 78), González (Ji 77), Rawlings, Angel (Ballard-Matthews 61), Bin, Edozie
Subs not used: Morgan, Ashworth
Booked: Okoduwa 40
Saunders: Credit to Wolves
Reaction: Saunders on Wolves defeat
Brentford Under-21s head coach Sam Saunders spoke following his side's 2-0 defeat to Wolves Under-21s at Wheatsheaf Park while looking ahead to Tuesday's Jersey Mike's Trophy clash with Crawley Town.
"This is the fourth game this season we've lost in the league but this is the first one where I'll put my hands up and say we probably didn't deserve to get anything out of the game," he said.
"Credit to Wolves, they were better, physically they were better, stronger, bigger... they scored from a set-piece... which is a real disappointment.
"This (Crawley) game is an amazing game for the football club, we're one of a handful of under-21s teams that's still got the opportunity to qualify for the knockout stages... I'm really looking forward to it already."