Flemming Pedersen's Development Squad won their first match of 2016 this afternoon as they swept aside Barnsley 4-2 at Griffin Park in the Under-21 Professional Development League Two. Bradley Clayton scored twice in the first-half to put The Bees in control but James Carvell reduced the arrears four minutes after the interval. Nathan Fox scored his first Brentford goal on the hour and the points were secured seven minutes later thanks to a fine Herson Alves shot. Charlie Harris netted a late consolation for The Tykes but it was never going to be anything more than that as The Bees picked up their first win in 11 matches.
Both sides went into the match out of form but it was Flemming's side who played the more adventurous football from the off. Harris fired a couple of early efforts off target for the visitors but other than that it was Brentford who controlled the game both in terms of chances and possession. The Bees only had to wait ten minutes to go ahead as George Cleet was caught under the flight of Zain Westbrooke's chipped pass and Clayton raced in before deftly lobbing the on-rushing Arron Murphy from 18 yards.
The goal was no less than Brentford deserved and, with the returning Jermaine Udumaga linking up play well in an advanced role, they created a number of chances in the first-half. Tom Field shot over the bar from 20 yards before Fox went for an ambitious first-time volley from long-range that cleared the Ealing Road stand by some margin. James Ferry was the next to fail to hit the target from the edge of the box while Jan Holldack was denied, after a clever short corner routine, by a brave Barnsley block.
The Bees should have added to their advantage ten minutes before the break but Udumaga whipped a shot well over the bar from 12 yards after being well found by the marauding Fox. Udumaga nearly turned provider three minutes later but Holldack couldn't collect his knockdown and Murphy was out quickly to claim. Just as it looked like Flemming's side would only have the one goal to show for their first-half domination they grabbed a second late in the half: Field somehow hit the post from six yards after a clever disguised pass by Udumaga but the ball dropped straight to Clayton who hammered home.
Brentford came out strongly in the second-half but handed Barnsley a way back into the game five minutes after the break. Fox's attempted pass to Chris Mepham, following a Brentford corner, was cut out and Carvell ran nearly 60 yards unchallenged, before rounding Ellery Balcombe and slotting home. The goal acted as a shot in the arm for the visitors and they should have been level four minutes later as Brad Ash found himself in space on the penalty spot but he tried to be too precise with his finish and sent it high and wide.
Slowly, however, The Bees regained the initiative and this time they didn't let it go. Just moments after Cole had been denied a certain goal by a wonderful challenge by Cleet, The Bees got the slice of luck that had perhaps been missing in recent weeks as Fox's drilled cross from the byline deceived Murphy and nestled in the bottom corner. Clayton and Westbrooke were denied by the body of a defender and Udumaga's powerful shot following a neat turn was gathered by Murphy before The Bees wrapped up the game with the pick of their four goals. Westbrooke's inch-perfect pass found Alves and the wideman took one touch to cut inside Wardle before curling an effort into the far corner from 20 yards.
Udumaga wasted a glorious chance to make it five when he shot over from 15 yards after a fine break by Field while at the other end the underused Balcombe showed his alertness to tip Cowgill's header past the post. Substitute Josh Bohui couldn't quite get onto the end of Alves reverse pass before Barnsley added a controversial second in injury time. Wade Maxwell curled a quick free-kick into the corner with Brentford still organising the wall: the referee allowed the goal to stand but it did little to take away the relief at full-time of a first Brentford win in more than three months.
Brentford: Ellery Balcombe; Nathan Fox (sub Jarvis Edobor 82 mins), Jan Holldack, Chris Mepham, Tom Field; James Ferry, Reece Cole; Bradley Clayton (sub Josh Bohui 72 mins), Zain Westbrooke, Herson Alves; Jermaine Udumaga (sub Julius Fenn-Evans (82 mins) Sub not used: Cameron Greaves
Barnsley: Arron Murphy; Louis Wardle (sub Will Smith), Jack Cowgill, George Cleet, Logan Jeffs; Jerry Amoo (sub Jared Bird), Josh Kay (sub Wade Maxwell), Charlie Harris, James Carvell; Brad Ash, Luke Alton Sub not used: Jack Greatorex