Brentford ended a five-match run without a win with a comfortable and comprehensive home win against Sheffield Wednesday. The Bees were on the front foot from the first whistle. They played at a pace that Wednesday could not match, scored two early goals and never looked back. A 3-0 half time lead became 5-0 at full time and Brentford were well worth it.

Josh Dasilva scored two for The Bees, grabbing the first and the fourth, while Emiliano Marcondes probably scored the best of them, his first in the league for Brentford. Bryan Mbeumo scored the third and Tariqe Fosu came off the substitute’s bench to grab the fifth. The Bees also hit the woodwork and created numerous other chances as they climbed back in to the top four in the table with nine games to go.

The first quarter of the contest could not have gone much better for The Bees. As well as the goals, they had complete control of the contest. With Christian Nørgaard providing a platform in front of the defence, Marcondes and Dasilva were able to roam forward and support Brentford’s attacking players. With Jacob Murphy providing no defensive cover for the visitors, Saïd Benrahma and Rico Henry had space to exploit on the left and Brentford pressed forward.

The first goal came ten minutes in, from a burst through the inside right channel. After an elongated spell of possession in Brentford’s defensive third, Dasilva darted in to a gap and started a move that he eventually finished. After a run of approaching 50 yards, the ball was spread to Benrahma, who created space and drilled a ball in to the box, Cameron Dawson could only palm it down and Dasilva was there to smash in. The shot flicked off Tom Lees on its way in, but Dawson was well beaten and Brentford were ahead.

The Bees could have scored before that. Dawson got down at full stretch to stop Ollie Watkins tapping home a Marcondes cross after Henrik Dalsgaard had created the initial space and they went even closer soon after. A corner was half cleared and Nørgaard picked p the loose ball before darting forward, his cross was met by Watkins and the shot looped over Dawson but cannoned away off the crossbar.

Julian Jeanvier almost created a goal when he picked up a loose ball, burst forward and crossed for Watkins. The Brentford striker was unable to reach it and Liam Palmer squirted it just past his own post. That only, however, delayed the goal by seconds. Marcondes corner was met by Mbeumo but his header was blocked. Wednesday could not, however, clear and Mbeumo got on to the ball again, a back heel created space and Marcondes let fly with a shot from 20 yards that dipped viciously late, over Dawson and ripped in to the back of the net. It was a first Sky Bet Championship goal for Marcondes and was worth waiting for.

Wednesday had offered almost nothing while Brentford were building that 2-0 lead. Central midfield players Barry Bannan and Joey Pelupessy were being overrun and long balls forward to Steven Fletcher were producing nothing. David Raya had to save a low cross-cum-shot from Alessio Da Cruz when he found space on the left, but 20 minutes in, The Bees were 2-0 up and well worth it. And they continued to create.

Dawson got down well to save from Benrahma after Brentford had broken down the right and Watkins saw a shot blocked soon after. But the game was more even in the second part of the first half than it had been in the early stages. Bannan started to get on the ball in midfield and Josh Windass dropped a fraction deeper to add some support in that area. Brentford may have eased off a fraction but Wednesday started to put together some attacking moves.

Murphy had a shot blocked and, with Brentford unable to properly clear their lines, Pelupessy then let fly with shot from 25 yards that stung the palms of Raya. The Brentford goalkeeper then saved from Da Cruz after he got on to a Bannan pass before a Windass shot was blocked, as was one from Murphy. Fletcher headed over and Ethan Pinnock made an important block of a Da Cruz cross as Wednesday started to find spaces in the final third.

Windass had a shot blocked after running from deep and then got on to a Bannan pass dropping over his shoulder, but he was unable to make the most of the chance. The better openings were, however, coming at the other end. Dalsgaard should have scored when he got on to a Nørgaard pass, skipped past Lees and then fired in to the legs of Dawson. And five minutes before half time, the third came.

Pinnock and Nørgaard created space for Marcondes with a pass and the next ball cut the Wednesday defence in two. The pass from Marcondes was inch perfect for Mbeumo to run on to, he easily beat Lees and steered a shot past the right hand of Dawson and in to the net off the far post. Brentford had ruthlessly cut Wednesday open and had an unassailable lead before half time.

And it could have got worse for the visitors before the break. Benrahma curled a free kick over the bar and a great move almost made it four. Henry started it with a run from deep and Benrahma picked out Mbeumo on the right, the first time cross dropped for Marcondes but he couldn’t make contact with the volley and The Bees had to settled for a 3-0 half time lead.

Wednesday needed to make changes at the interval and introduced attacking pair Fernando Forestieri and Connor Wickham. Wickham met an early free kick with a header that Raya saved, getting clattered by Fletcher in the process, but most of the action was still at the other end. Watkins was unable to get enough purchase on a first-time lofted effort from a Dalsgaard pass and it looped in to arms of Dawson. He was then unable to get a shot away from the inside left channel under pressure from Dominic Iorfa.

Watkins also created an opening for Benrahma, who pulled his shot wide, before great work on the left allowed Henry to cross for Mbeumo, but he fired over the bar. Dasilva also dragged a shot wide after a run from deep, albeit he appealed that it had been deflected off target. But after a bright start to the second half, the game went in to a bit of a lull. Brentford knew the points were in the bag and Wednesday had neither the determination nor the quality to mount any sort of recovery.

Substitute Kadeem Harris almost created something for the visitors as he bundled between a couple of challenges on the left, but Raya saved his shot and the Brentford goalkeeper was then well-placed to hold on to a long-range effort from Murphy. Dasilva also blocked a Bannan effort but by that time it was 4-0. Benrahma was the architect with a brilliant turn in midfield. He then waited to pick a pass for Dasilva on the burst in to the box and the low shot flew past Dawson, with the aid of a deflection.

And the fifth followed soon after. Brentford swarmed all around the Wednesday box and Fosu played a one-two with Benrahma before placing a shot past the outstretched arm of Dawson to grab his first Championship goal. Fosu then almost set up a goal for Marcondes with a clever pass inside the penalty area, but his shot was blocked.

The game was well won but Brentford were determined to add a clean sheet to their three points. Henry bravely got in front of Lees to deflect a free kick over the bar and Pinnock made a late block from Forestieri. Lees headed wide late on to ensure that Brentford had the perfect day, three points, five goals and a clean sheet.

Brentford: Raya; Dalsgaard, Jeanvier, Pinnock, Henry; Marcondes, Nørgaard (sub Baptiste 78 mins), Dasilva (sub Valencia 84 mins); Mbeumo (sub Fosu 78 mins), Watkins, Benrahma

Subs (not used): Daniels, Roerslev, Racic, Dervişoğlu

Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson; Palmer, Lees, Iorfa, Fox; Murphy, Pelupessy, Bannan, Da Cruz (sub Forestieri h/t); Fletcher (sub Harris 65 mins), Windass (sub Wickham h/t)

Subs (not used): Wildsmith, Harris, Nuhiu, Wickham, Hunt, Urhoghide, Forestieri

Bookings: Bannan (35 mins), Fletcher (50 mins)

Attendance: 12,273 (1,637 away fans)