Brentford sent out a warning to the rest of the Premier Section of the 2014 Dale Farm Milk Cup with an emphatic 5-0 win over County Fermanagh at Parker Avenue, Portrush.
The game was effectively settled in 13 minutes around half-time as Audrius Laucys, Courtney Austin and Bradley Clayton struck to put The Bees well in command.
With goal difference likely to be crucial to decide who will make the top four Brentford continued to push forward against a demoralised opposition.
Danny Parish made it four with 20 minutes to go and, after Jeremiah Kamanzi had missed a penalty, Seika Jatta added a fifth late on.
Brentford made two changes from the win over Lusaka Academy with Seth Owens and James Ferry dropping down to the bench, their places filled by Chris Mepham and Dylan Hamilton-Burke.
All the early signs were that it was going to be a tough afternoon for The Bees as the wind and rain came in off the Atlantic and the partisan crowd cheered on the Irish side as they chased and harried Brentford ferociously in the opening minutes.
Slowly though The Bees began to impose themselves on the game with Reece Cole directing things in the midfield and Bradley Clayton proving to be a real nuisance up front.
Clayton’s persistence should have seen Brentford take the lead after a quarter of an hour as he picked the pocket of the defender and raced into the area but somehow Courtney Senior shot wide from three yards when it seemed easier to score.
Senior came even closer five minutes later as he was picked out by a pin-point Cole free-kick but Josh Gordon just about managed to keep the ball out.
Gordon was much more convincing when next called into action, making a smart save to turn Cole’s long-range effort away.
Austin then chipped wide after racing in behind but the much threatened Brentford goal did arrive on the half-hour as Cole’s free-kick was fumbled by Gordon and Laucys smashed home from five yards.
That goal deflated the home crowd and Brentford wasted no time in doubling their advantage as Austin showed great pace and strength to hold off a Fermanagh defender before curling past Gordon from 12 yards with what turned out to be the last kick of the half.
Austin and Mensah were withdrawn at half-time with Jatta and Herson Rodrigues Alves replacing them and the pair were both involved as Brentford killed off the game as a contest nine minutes into the half.
A fine spell of possession involving the whole Brentford frontline culminated in Clayton smartly turning and finding the bottom corner from 12 yards to score a richly deserved goal.
The Bees were threatening to run riot now and they made it four five minutes later when Parish hooked home after Rodrigues Alves had turned George Harmes’ free-kick back across goal.
Parish was them upended in the box but, in a rare moment of wastefulness in front of goal, Kamanzi scooped the spot-kick over the bar.
Anthony Hayes’s side didn’t have to wait long to grab their fifth however as Jatta’s shot proved too powerful for Gordon at his near post.
In the closing stages Senior shot over from 25 yards, Mepham headed wide from a deep corner and Parish shot straight at Gordon from the edge of the box.
In the end The Bees settled for five which means they enter the final game of the group stages against Benfica on Wednesday with a great chance of making the top four.