Brentford B were defeated 2-1 by Reading Under-21s in a friendly on Friday afternoon at Bearwood Park Training Ground.
A Kyreece Lisbie goal gave the young Bees the lead halfway through the second half, however two late goals to the home side secured them a friendly win.
Nathan Young-Coombes made his return to Neil MacFarlane's line-up after injuring his ankle in November 2023. New signing Mukhammadali Urinboev donned the Brentford colours for the first time in the clash, playing a strong 60 minutes in the midfield.
Both sides opened the first half with high intensity, attacking when in possession without penetrating the defensive line.
The young Bees' best chance of the opening 20 minutes came on 16 minutes, Chanse Headman meeting a Urinboev corner, his header going wide right of the goal.
A trialist kept the pressure on Reading’s defence minutes later, firing a shot from the edge of the box that was well saved by the home side’s keeper, Harvey Collins.
The home side hit back as the half hour mark passed, Jahmari Clarke finding himself one-on-one with Marley Tavaziva, the Brentford keeper making a great save to keep the score 0-0.
Urinboev continued to make the most of his first minutes for Brentford B, the new signing putting the ball in dangerous positions in the box from corners and free kicks. He had back-to-back quality crosses on 38 minutes, one just missing Ashley Hay’s attempted header, the other cleared away by a diving Collins.
Despite some quality play from the young Bees it was the home side who had another look on goal as the break approached, Clarke one-on-one with Tavaziva, who again made a quality save.
Tavaziva was forced to defend Brentford’s goal shortly after the break, coming forward to to defend a Reading attack before a shot could be fired.
The young Bees responded with an attacking move of their own, Hay’s header from a Urinboev corner going just right of the goal.
Clarke found himself in the action again for Reading minutes later, his left foot strike from outside the box going wide left.
Tony Yogane, Isaac Holland, Max Dickov and Lisbie provided fresh legs on the hour mark, the latter wasting little time getting in on the action, as his shot on 63 minutes found the top right corner to give Brentford a 1-0 lead. He came close to adding a second soon after, Lisbie meeting Dickov’s cross near the goal line but unable to finish it off. The pair combined again on 75 minutes, Lisbie on passing duties this time around, breaking down the left side before cutting inside and finding Dickov, whose shot was saved by Collins. Despite some great looks on goal for the young Bees it was Reading who found the second goal of the game on 88 minutes. Their short corner was crossed into the box and headed home to make it 1-1. Both sides looked for a winner as full-time approached, the home side able to find one in added time off a loose Brentford pass to make the final score 2-1.
Brentford B: Tavaziva, Adedokun, Zabeli, Headman (Dickov, 59’), Hay (Yogane, 59’), Booth (Trialist, 80’), Young-Coombes (Laidlaw, 80’), Owen (Trialist, 59’), Trialist (Holland, 59’), Urinboev (Lisbie, 59’), Wilson
Subs not used: Wolfheimer