Defensive errors cost Brentford’s Youth Team dear as they were beaten by Colchester United.
The Bees matched their hosts for much of the match in the midfield battle but were not as incisive in possession and conceded three goals they will want to forget.
Colchester went ahead after winning the ball in Bees territory and then doubled their lead from a corner after Brentford goalkeeper James Bransgrove had saved a penalty.
They made the game safe in the second half and although trialist Robbie Norris pulled a goal back, Brentford could not salvage anything from the game and lost 3-1.
The Bees came in to the game on the back of four points from the last two games – having picked up just two points in their first 11 Under-18 Professional Development League Two South outings – but were hit by injuries.
Youth Team Manager Jeremy Steele had to field five trialists, with another on the substitute’s bench, and many regulars were missing.
That lack of cohesion may have cost them dear as Colchester were a little better in the key areas.
But Brentford held their own in the engine room, despite playing four against five.
They just could not make the most of their possession.
George Pilbeam headed a Lewis Lavender free kick wide early on and had another effort from a similar position blocked.
Myles Hippolyte was brought back from a work experience placement at Southall to play due to the injury issues and he was always attempting to create something.
However, he was regularly closed down and there were occasions when a pass may have been better than the blocked shots that were often a result of nice trickery.
Brentford had more possession in the early stages than their visitors but Colchester’s attacking threat was evident.
Sam Szmodics should have converted a Jack Simmonds cross at the far post and Nnandi Nwachuku missed an even better chance, diverting a cross wide from four yards.
Hippolyte missed the target from Brentford and had the first of many shots blocked before the visitors went ahead.
Trialist central defender Bobby Dormer was robbed 25 yards from his own goal and although Bransgrove denied Tom Lapslie, the ball was delivered back in by Jack Curtis and Lapslie headed home.
Lionel Stone blocked a Szmodics effort and a weak Nwachuku shot was saved before Brentford’s defence closed down a shooting chance for Curtis.
Trialist Michael Rouse headed over when well-placed and a Lavender free kick – awarded when Hippolyte was brought down inches outside the box by goalkeeper Conor Cable – was tipped over.
The resulting corner was delivered across the six-yard box at head height by Lavender but no-one turned it in.
Stone fired narrowly over from 20 yards and Hippolyte shot wide but Colchester were starting to open Brentford up more regularly.
Curtis missed a golden chance from an Nwachuku cross and then brought a fine save out of Bransgrove before the goalkeeper denied Szmodics with another superb stop.
The game was halted for more than six minutes late in the first half when Hippolyte challenged Cable aerially and the Colchester goalkeeper had to be stretchered off with his leg in a brace.
Substitute Ron Carroll was called from the neighbouring pitch – where he was playing for Colchester’s Under-16 side against The Bees – to take his place between the sticks.
Colchester responded well to that set back and wee two up before the break.
They almost doubled their lead when left back Michael O’Donoghue got in behind Brentford on the overlap but his shot hit the inside of the post and was cleared.
Brentford, however, couldn’t get the ball fully away and Ryan Makhosini brought Simmons down giving referee Kevin Welch no option but to award a penalty.
Nwachuku took the stop kick but his low effort was straight at Bransgrove and the Brentford goalkeeper kept it out.
The Bees made the cardinal sin of switching off from the resulting corner and Billy Roast was unmarked at the far post to lash home from eight yards.
Hippolyte had a shot blocked late in the half but Steele made two changes at half time – bringing on Fabian Rowe and trialist Darryl Mayne – to try and alter the flow of the game.
It worked to a large extent, Brentford were the better team after the break but Colchester scored a third early on – Simmons beating Bransgrove and Mayne to a long ball to poke home – and the game was just about up.
Hippolyte and Dormer had shots blocked before Rowe curled a shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Bransgrove denied Lapslie when Colchester attacked but most of the action was at the other end.
A Rowe shot deflected in to the arms of Carroll before another long stoppage – as Dormer and Curtis were both taken off after an aerial collision.
Brentford responded better this time and scored soon after.
Hippolyte set Pilbeam away on the left, his cross was palmed out by Carroll and Norris arrived to finish low.
That could have set Brentford up for a comeback and The Bees certainly pressed but they couldn’t make anything happen.
Callum Rogers turned a cross narrowly over his own bar and Mayne headed wide before a deflected Hippolyte shot was saved.
Szmodics could have made the game safe when Simmons cut the ball back but his low shot hit both posts before it was cleared.
It proved not to matter to the overall result as Colchester took the points
Brentford Youth Team: James Bransgrove; Elliot Legg, Bobby Dormer (sub Michael Onovwigun 61 mins), Lionel Stone, Ryan Makhosini; Lewis Lavender, Robbie Norris, Michael Rouse (sub Darryl Mayne h/t), George Pilbeam; Myles Hippolyte, Tom Dawson (sub Fabian Rowe h/t)
Subs (not used): Joe Taylor
Bookings: Dormer (50 mins), Stone (83 mins)
Colchester United Youth Team: Conor Cable (sub Ron Carroll 44 mins); Conor Clarke, Jordan Buck (sub Frankie Kent h/t), Billy Roast, Michael O’Donoghue; Sam Szmodics, Jack Curtis 9sub Callum Rogers 61 mins), Augustin Mafuta, Tom Lapslie, Jack Simmonds; Nnandi Nwachuku
Subs (not used): Joel Atkin, Tyler Brampton
Bookings: Clarke (15 mins), Cable (26 mins)
By Chris Wickham