Brentford Under-18s claimed their second win of the South East Youth Alliance League season with a 5-2 win over Leyton Orient Under-18s on Saturday.

Goals to Isaac Holland, Iwan Morgan, Kaya Halil and Ethan Laidlaw secured the three points for Brentford at Uxbridge Football Club in what was an impressive display by the young Bees.

The opening 45 minutes was played at a fast pace, both sides pushing the ball down the pitch with speed and looking for chances to score.

Despite Brentford owning the majority of the possession in the opening five minutes, it was Leyton Orient who opened the scoring. A strong Yaw Agyei tackle in the young Bees’ defensive box was seen as penalty worthy by the referee, the ensuing shot by Marley St. Louis finding the back of the net to make it 1-0 on six minutes.

Brentford continued to control the ball and their forward half pressure started to force Leyton Orient turnovers deep in their defence. Holland’s pressure created Brentford’s first chance on 15 minutes, as he won the ball back and found Halil on the edge of the box, whose powerful left foot strike hit the post.

Conor McManus started to have an impact down the left side, the defender putting the visitors’ defenders under pressure with dangerous crosses into the box. His ball on 28 minutes found Freddie Taylor in a scoring position, but his shot was well saved, however rebounded to Holland who scored from close range to make it 1-1.

The young Bees didn’t have to wait long to go ahead, Agyei’s slick pass through the middle on 32 minutes finding Holland on the edge of the box, the goal scorer then turning to assist man as he delivered to Morgan, who found himself one-on-one with Leyton Orient keeper Lenny Holden and put the ball in the back of the net to make it 2-1.

The visitors remained positive with their transition down the pitch and nearly found an equaliser soon after, Devine Samuel getting a good lock on goal inside the box, however his shot went wide right.

On the counter attack, Brentford won a throw in and Taylor got the ball moving quick, his throw finding a breaking Morgan down the right side, whose cross was aimed for Holland inside the box, however was intercepted by St. Louis who put an own goal in the back of the net to make it 3-1 in Brentford's favour as half-time approached.

The young Bees flexed their muscle in the second half, further dominating the game in the opening 20 minutes.

They only had to wait six minutes to add a fourth goal, Holland breaking down the right side after Brentford won the ball back and crossing into Halil whose strike found the bottom left corner of the net to go up 4-1.

The visitors continued to push despite the scoreline, Aaron Sterling firing a shot from outside the box four minutes later and hitting the bar. A shot by Uno Oji a minute later beat Brentford’s trials keeper, but it went wide left of the goal.

Laidlaw started to stamp his authority up front in the second half, his physicality able to see him push past his defender multiple times. He did so on 58 minutes, however his shot was well saved by Holden. The ensuing corner bounced around inside the box before finding Morgan, his shot well saved by a Leyton Orient defender and cleared.

Laidlaw went one better on 66 minutes, the forward running onto a McManus’ through ball and chipping it further in front of himself, then forcing his way past his defender and putting the ball in the back of the net to make it 5-1.

Ollie Shield, Remy Bennison and two trialists came off the bench to provide fresh legs, a welcomed change for the young Bees as the visitors continued to press and look for a second goal.

They got just that on 86 minutes, Zack Hambury chipping the ball over Brentford’s keeper’s hands from the right side which found its way into the back of the net to make it 5-2 just before full-time.

Brentford U18: trialist, Taylor, McManus, Samuels, Headman (trialist, 62’), Holland, Booth, Morgan (Shield, 74’), Halil, Laidlaw (Bennison, 74), Agyei (trialist, 56’)

Subs not used: Ivanov

Leyton Orient U18: Holden, St Louis, Agyemiwg, Billas, Archibald, Chinedu, Thuti (Hambury, 45'), Welch, Samuel (Oji, 45'), Mohamoud (M’bra, 79'), Sterling (Wright, 79')

Subs not used: Norman, Koroma

Bedford pleased with side's reward for effort

Brentford Under-18 coach Lydia Bedford was pleased with her side's performance post-game and added that it was positive for the group to get some reward for their efforts following some tight losses and a draw in recent weeks.

"We were rewarded today for some really good play and I think that's important because you don't always feel that way, sometimes you play well and don't get the result," said Bedford.

"I think the momentum, it felt like it was in our direction and it felt like whatever they did throw at us, whether it was a change of shape or a rotation or a sub ... the communication amongst the group meant that we didn't panic, we just kept everything in front of us."

Bedford praised the group's ability to respond after going down 1-0 early in the game and to match the visitors' momentum throughout the second half.

"I felt like we grew with momentum after we conceded the goal, started to have a little bit more movement to threaten in behind and just really shifted momentum in our direction," said Bedford.

"I think the boys created some really good opportunities in front of goal. We probably could've been more clinical than we were, but was pleased to go in at half-time 3-1 up.

"I think second half we probably didn't problem solve their shape change that proactively as a group which meant that they got a bit of momentum, but I actually think we matched the momentum."