Brentford B began their Premier League Cup campaign with a defeat against Fulham Under-21s at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

The match ended in a 6-1 defeat for the young Bees with very late goals really enhancing the scoreline in a game where the B team created some positive chances over the course of both halves.

The young Bees gave Michael Olakigbe his first minutes of the 2023/24 campaign after his exploits with the first team in recent weeks where he made is senior debut away at Newport County before making his Premier League bow against AFC Bournemouth.

Ji-soo Kim also started the game after his international camp with the Korea Republic over the past couple of weeks as he lined up in central defence alongside Erion Zabeli. Val Adedokun was named captain of the side for the first competitive match of the season.

Neither side dominated over the first 10 minutes or so with possession traded between the teams as they found their feet in the opening group match.

On 11 minutes the first real chance of the game fell for Fulham as Ollie O’Neill was slipped in the left-hand channel just inside the box. His effort, aimed towards the bottom right-hand corner, took a nick off a Brentford defender and edged wide of goal.

Brentford didn’t have to wait long for their first attempt as Olakigbe switched the ball into debutant Ashley Hay who managed to make first contact and knock the ball past a defender. As he raced goalwards the keeper was out quick to slide and connect well to clear the ball.

Ji-soo was called into defensive action 20 minutes when he made a brilliant block from a powerful Terrell Works shot before Fulham’s George Okkas curled wide of goal.

The away side then took the lead shortly before half hour mark when George Okkas raced to the byline with Charlie Farr and managed to turn cleverly before steadying himself and shooting low past Vincent Angelini.

The Bees went straight up the other end and almost levelled when Olakigbe managed to work some space on the edge of the box. After controlling well and getting the ball out of his feet he fired an effort towards the top right-hand corner but it edge just wide of goal.

On 37 minutes Fulham then managed to double their lead to give themselves some breathing space when Callum McFarlane turned well in the box and worked some space away from the Brentford defence before slotting home with accuracy to take a lead into the break.

It was Brentford who started the better of the two teams in the second period and it took six minutes for the side to have a chance to pull a goal back. A counter-attack which saw Brierley find Young-Coombes on the break saw the forward drive across goal and attempt to work a shot as he drew a foul from a Harvey Araujo leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot.

Olakigbe then stepped up to slot home and make it 2-1 with an effort into the bottom left-hand corner.

This was the best spell the side had in the game as Ji-soo headed an effort just wide following a set piece before Brierley almost got himself on the scoresheet when he was found by Olakigbe before he curled an effort just wide

Brentford were then dealt a blow just a couple of minutes later when a ball into the box fell for Okkas to get his second of the night when he prodded the ball towards goal and it ended up in the bottom right-hand corner past Angelini to make it 3-1.

Another attempt came for the Bees when Young-Coombes saw his free-kick edge just over before new signing Iwan Morgan cut onto his left foot before his low effort was blocked.

As the clock ticked towards the 90, Terrell Works shot from distance and, with the help of a heavy deflection the attempt outwitted Angelini and ended up in the top corner.

The officials then pointed to 10 minutes of added time and Fulham got their fifth when Callum Osmand pulled off an impressive acrobatic finish into the top corner. The game ended 6-1 in the 100^th minute when Ollie O’Neill also tried his luck from distance.

Brentford B: Angelini, Farr, Adedokun, Zabeli (Laidlaw, 76), Ji-soo, Olakigbe, Owen, Young-Coombes, Brierley, Hay (Dickov, 65), Yogane (Morgan, 72)

Subs not used: Fredrick, Waruih

Fulham U21: Borto, Tanton, Araujo, De Fougerolles (De Jesus, 76) Esenga (Lanquedoc, 84) Dibley-Dias (Donnell, 72) Okkas, Sekularac, Works, McFarlane (Osmani, 72), O’Neill

Subs not used: Allen

Olakigbe reacts to Fulham defeat

B team winger Michael Olakigbe says the side will learn from their difficult evening against Fulham and says it's important the side bounce back quickly.

The 19-year-old said: "It was a very difficult game against a good side. I felt when we came back into the game at 2-1 I thought we were going to kick on but unfortunately we couldn't kick on and it was goal after goal.

"We have to bounce back and move on to the next one."