A first half goal from Amadou Diallo was the difference as Brentford B were beaten 1-0 at the Powerday Stadium on Friday evening by Newcastle United Under-21s.

There were significant changes for the side from the match with OH Leuven in Belgium just two days ago as Neil MacFarlane shuffled his pack ahead of the Premier League Cup final on 9 May.

The match with the Magpies offered the chance for younger B team players to gain important minutes with a full B team debut handed to Chanse Headman and a substitute debut for Omaru King who have both been part of the Under-18 side this season.

Vincent Angelini started in goal with a back four in front of him made up of captain Max Dickov, Headman, a Trialist and Irish youngster Conor McManus. There were also important minutes in midfield for Angel Waruih, Max Wilcox and fellow youngster Beaux Booth, who has built minutes with the Under-18s in recent weeks, and started in the number 10 role at the home of Hanwell Town.

It was a dominant first 10 minutes or so for the Bees as they held a great deal of possession with the likes of Tony Yogane and Dickov providing the width on either flank and, whilst their high press was proving effective, the final ball wasn’t quite there on more than one occasion.

As the half wore on Newcastle had a succession of free-kicks from wide areas which were well dealt with by the Brentford back line. Their first chance came around the 15 minute mark when a low cross from Matthew Bondswell found one of the United Trialists whose shot was blocked by McManus.

Soon after it was Brentford’s time to attack when J’Neil Bennett latched onto a ball over the top from Wilcox before he held off his man to cross towards the far post but Yogane was unable to make contact with his head as Newcastle cleared in the nick of time.

On 28 minutes the only goal of the game came when the ball was given away and Diallo received it out wide before driving towards goal and cutting onto his right foot. The winger then slotted an effort into the bottom right hand corner with precision past Angelini to make it 1-0.

Booth had a chance to level things on 34 minutes when he produced some impressive footwork of his own as he turned well outside the box before charging forwards and riding a couple of challenges. His left footed effort was heading for the bottom right hand corner but for the United keeper.

Beaux Booth in action against Newcastle

Brentford had potentially their best chance of the first period on 36 minutes when a precise kick from Angelini found the head of Lucias Vine, who flicked into the path of Yogane. The winger drove down the left before crossing fantastically for the head of Bennett but he was unable to keep his header on target as the Bees went in at the break trailing.

A Waruih volley which was comfortably saved by the United keeper was Brentford’s first chance of the second period before Alex Murphy volleyed over for the north east side as chances continued to be traded with neither tea, really having a sustained spell of pressure.

On the hour the Bees had a brilliant chance to go level. Once again Vine held the ball up as he flicked into the path of the onrushing Yogane, who drove in on goal, but his right footed effort one-v-one with the keeper could only find the legs of the United shot stopper as the score remained 1-0.

The Bees were then awarded a penalty on 71 minutes following a handball following a Vine strike. The forward then stepped up but saw his penalty towards the left-hand post well kept out by Max Thompson to keep United in front as they headed back north with the win.

Vine was prevented from levelling things from the spot by the United keeper

Brentford B: Angelini, Dickov (King, 76), McManus, Waruih (Trialist, 86), Headman, Trialist, Bennett (Beckham, 63), Wilcox (Trialist, 76) Vine, Booth (Trialist, 86), Yogane

Newcastle United U21: Thompson, Wiggett, Bondswell, Murphy, Savage, Carlyon, Trialist, Miley, Ndiweni, Huntley, Diallo

Subs: Hackett, Brown, Vilca, Westendorf

Headman delighted at B team debut

Chanse Headman was proud to make his B team debut after getting the majority of his minutes with the Under-18s this season whilst training with the B team regularly.