Kevin O'Connor's Development Squad picked up their sixth win in seven matches after they came from behind to beat Ipswich Town 3-1 at Playford Road this afternoon in the Under-21 Professional Development League Two South.
The Bees recent knack of starting slowly struck again at a cold and breezy Playford Road as The Tractor Boys took the lead inside five minutes through Sam Ford but O'Connor's side were level before the break as Courtney Senior netted for the second match running.
After the break it was almost all Brentford and they made sure of the three points striking twice in three minutes early on in the half. Jan Holldack's persistance paid off as he poked home at the second time of asking before substitute Reece Cole combined well with Holldack to wrap up the points.
The Development Squad had fallen behind in their previous four league matches and that run was extended to five when Nik Tzanev could only parry Myles George Kenlock's cross into the path of Ford who blasted the ball into the back of the net through a crowd of defenders.
Alex Henshall cut inside onto his left foot and shot straight at Tzanev, Kyle Hammond saw an effort blocked by Gradi Milenge and James Alabi headed over from a central position six yards out before Brentford started to get a grip on the game midway through the half.
The Bees should have been level after 25 minutes as they sprung a lightening fast break involving Jermaine Udumaga, Holldack and Montell Moore only for Herson Rodrigues Alves to sweep wide of an open goal from six yards at the back post.
That miss was quickly forgotten as Senior timed his run in behind The Tractor Boys' defence perfectly to roll Moore's well-weighted through ball past a stranded Jonathan Henly.
Henshall almost had Mark Kennedy's side back ahead just before the break but his powerful left-footed drive cannoned back off the bar and away to safety.
Kyle Hammond sent an early second-half shot over the bar for the hosts before The Bees took control of the match. With Udumaga, James Ferry and Holldack finding pockets of space in the midfield and Senior, Moore and Alves proving willing runners The Bees were able to drive at the heart of the hosts' backline.
Moore's low shot was blocked to safety but O'Connor's side did take the lead less than two minutes later as Holldack's persistance saw him get a toe onto a loose ball he had no right to win and send in bobbling past Henly and into the bottom corner.
Substitute Cole, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes after Daniel O'Shaughnessy had gone off with an injury, then added a third: collecting Holldack's clever pass and smashing past Henly from close range.
The hosts tried to muster a response and Tzanev bravely denied Alabi before the New Zealand goalkeeper beat away a swerving effort from Ford.
Substitute James Blanchfield shot straight at Tzanev while at the other end Udumaga sent a pair of long-range drives skipping past the post.
Moore dragged a shot wide when in behind, Henly did well to turn a low effort from Udumaga behind for a corner, and from the resulting corner Milenge headed over from eight yards as The Bees created chances to kill off the game.
James Ferry was the next to be thwarted by Henly before Alabi missed a guilt-edged chance to set up a tense final five minutes, the powerful striker somehow heading wide of the back post from four yards under no pressure.
Anything less than the three points would have been extremely harsh on The Bees and they could have extended their lead late on with Udumaga's deflected shot flashing wide and then from the resulting corner Henly made fine block saves to deny Milenge and Rodrigues Alves in quick succession.
In the end the three goals proved enough as Kevin O'Connor's side moved up to third in the Under-21 PDL Two South table, two points behind leaders Charlton Athletic.
Brentford: Nik Tvanev; Chris Mepham, Josh Laurent, Gradi Milenge, Daniel O'Shaughnessy (sub Reece Cole 49 mins); James Ferry, Jan Holldack; Courtney Senior (Seika Jatta 90 mins), Montell Moore, Herson Rodrigues Alves; Jermaine Udumaga Subs not used: Cameron Greaves, Tom Field
Ipswich Town: Jonathan Henly; Josh Emmanuel, George Fowler, Joe Robinson, Myles George Kenlock; Shilow Tracey (sub James Blanchfield 52 mins), Adam McDonnell, Kyle Hammond, Alex Henshall (sub Cemal Ramadan 85 mins); James Alabi, Sam Ford (sub Conor McKendry 74 mins) Subs not used: Nicholas Hayes, Kolade Salaudeen