Macauley Bonne’s brace consigned Brentford’s Development Squad to a third match without a win after Colchester United came from behind to win 2-1 at Jersey Road in the U21 Professional Development League Two South this afternoon.
Jan Holldack fired Flemming Pedersen’s side in front midway through the first-half, finishing off a flowing counter-attack move, but that lead lasted just 12 minutes before Bonne got his first, rising highest to plant home Dion Sembie-Ferris’s teasing centre.
Bonne, who scored four goals in Colchester’s FA Cup win over Wealdstone earlier this season, grabbed the decisive goal on the hour as his shot took a deflection off Gradi Milenge and beat goalkeeper Nik Tzanev.
New signing Nathan Fox was named amongst the substitutes for Brentford while Courtney Senior and Herson Rodrigues Alves replaced Andy Gogia and Lewis Macleod in the starting XI from the draw against Watford 11 days ago.
The opening exchanges were lively between two sided separated in the table by only goal difference. Rodrigues Alves shot over from the edge of the box while Bonne, Femi Akinwande and Drey Wright all failed to test Tzanev with efforts for the visitors. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in the opening quarter hour was when Chris Mepham’s ball out of defence found Holldack: the German midfielder’s effort was saved by Dillon Barnes and then Rodrigues Alves curled wide.
Bradley Clayton created space for himself but then volleyed wide before The Bees did take the lead after 25 minutes. James Ferry did well to break up play in the midfield and feed Senior who raced towards goal. Although his path to goal was blocked the ball landed at the feet of Holldack who steadied himself and fired home, high into the net, from 15 yards.
Wright fizzed an effort narrowly wide almost straight from the restart but Pedersen’s side had chances to extend their advantage further before the interval. Jamie Harney blocked from Senior, Rodrigues Alves also saw his route to goal barred by the Northern Irish defender and then Holldack saw a shot well held by Barnes. Those missed opportunities came back to haunt the home side as The Us equalised eight minutes before the break, Sembie-Ferris beat Josh Clarke to the byline and then stood the ball up for Bonne to climb highest and power home from close range.
The Bees should have retaken the lead four minutes after the break as Senior’s surging run created space for Clarke to cross. His low ball dropped to Alves inside the six-yard box but he scuffed his shot allowing Harney to recover and hack off the line to safety. Reece Cole fired over from the edge of the box and then Senior shot straight at Barnes but once again it was The Us who made their chance count and took the lead: Bonne’s effort from the edge of the box taking a wicked deflection off Gradi Milenge to wrong-foot Tzanev and find the back of the net.
Brentford piled forward trying to get back into the game, Frankie Kent blocking twice from Holldack in quick succession and then Bonne getting in the way of a fierce strike by Senior. Cole’s effort was spilled by Barnes but again a defender was there to prevent Holldack converting. With 11 minutes to play Brentford should have had a penalty as substitute Fox freed Josh Bohui with a lofted pass, Barnes flattened The Bees striker inside the box but somehow the officials decided the offense had taken outside the area: The resultant free-kick was blocked by the wall.
Pedersen’s side continued to press in the final stages but couldn’t fashion anything in the way of a presentable chance and it was the visitors who nearly added gloss to the scoreline but Tzanev denied Sembie-Ferris late on.
Brentford: Nik Tzanev, Audrius Laucys (sub Nathan Fox 62 mins), Gradi Milenge, Chris Mepham, Josh Clarke; James Ferry, Reece Cole; Courtney Senior (sub Josh Bohui 76 mins), Jan Holldack, Herson Rodrigues Alves (sub Josh Laurent 76 mins); Bradley Clayton Subs not used: Cameron Greaves, Danny Parish
Colchester United: Dillon Barnes; Kane Vincent-Young, Jamie Harney, Frankie Kent, Tosin Olufemi; Callum Harrison, Chris Regis (sub Cameron James 84 mins); Dion Sembie-Ferris, Drey Wright, Femi Akinwande; Macauley Bonne Subs not used: Danny Boness, Tyler Bampton, David Segura, Charlie Edge