A young Brentford XI enjoyed an excellent workout against Valencia CF Mestalla at Hayes and Yeading tonight. The away side, who won promotion from the Tercera División in Spain this season, had the better of the game but could find no way through a resolute Brentford backline.

Most of the action around Matthew Cox’s goal came in the opening 15 minutes. The Bees stopper had to get down sharply to turn away Javier Guerra’s low shot just three minutes in. Moments later he went full-stretch to parry Hugo González’ curling effort before tipping over a long-range strike from David Ruiz.

Pablo Gonzálbez was the next to have a go but his low shot took a deflection and rolled tamely into Cox’ arms. Two fine blocks from Daniel Oyegoke and Paris Maghoma meant that Cox wasn’t required the next time that the Iberian side threatened.

Brentford, led by Brian Riemer, were being forced to work hard out of possession by Valencia's reserve side, who won the Spanish fifth tier at a canter this season, but did carve out one good opening before the interval; a timely intervention from Cristhian Mosquera prevented Val Adedokun getting a close-range shot off.

At the other end, a superb recovery challenge from Brentford’s trialist centre-back denied Noha N’Dombasi a shooting opportunity while the final action of the half saw Perez test Cox from range again.

The opening stages of the second half were much quieter as Brentford saw more the ball, creating two good openings. Alex Gilbert volleyed over from the edge of the box before a wicked Val Adedokun cross was deflected away from the incoming Fin Stevens at the back post.

However, as the sun set, it was the away side who finished much the stronger. González had four openings in as many minutes but wasted all of them by shooting off target. For all their defensive resolve, The Bees almost let it slip with four minutes to play by giving the ball away on the edge of the box but, fortunately, Diego López’ shot was deflected wide by the covering Jude Russell.

Brentford: Cox; Stevens, Russell, Trialist, Oyegoke (Trialist 46); Maghoma, Peart-Harris, Gilbert; Adedokun, Dasilva (Syla 74), Young-Coombes

Valencia: Charly (Juanjo 70); David, Iranzo (Miki 55), Mosquera (Tárrega 55), Ruiz (Muñoz 55); Guerra, Burlamaqui (Alemañ 55), Gonzálbez; González, Perez (Musy 55), N’Dombasi (López 55)