David Poppa's goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Birmingham City following a pulsating Under-18 Professional Development League Two South game at Jersey Road.

After a goalless first-half the game came to life in the second-half as Courtney Senior put The Bees ahead five minutes after the interval.

Poppa levelled things five minutes later to set up an end-to-end final half-hour during which both sides had chances to win the game.

Birmingham could have grabbed the three points in injury time but Jordan Carey made a magnificent save to deny Poppa as he burst through one-on-one.

Following last week's sick bug Brentford made four changes as Reece Cole, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown, Jeremiah Kamanzi and Bradley Clayton all returned.

The Blues, who put nine past Sheffield Wednesday two weeks ago, started brightly and Edji Mbunga saw a shot bravely blocked by Gradi Milenge with Wes McDonald slamming the rebound off the outside of the post.

Mbunga should have put Blues ahead after six minutes but somehow he hooked over from two yards after Charlie Cooper's corner was deflected through to him.

The returning Cole drew a fine save out of Jake Weaver with neither Joshua Bohui or Clayton able to force the rebound over the line as Brentford began to get back into the game.

Bohui had another good chance to open the scoring on the quarter hour but Weaver got enough of a hand onto his shot to allow Sam Deadfield back to clear off the line.

It was a real contrast of styles for much of the first-half with Brentford comfortable in possession holding onto the ball for long periods of time while Birmingham were keen to go from back to front as soon as possible using the pace of McDonald and Mbunga against The Bees defence.

Clayton and Bohui were linking up well and causing Blues' defence problems and Weaver made a fine tackle as Bohui ran through one-on-one after he had been released by Clayton.

Seth Owens made a fine block to deny McDonald while good work by Marsh-Brown and Westbrooke teed up Cole but his shot was bravely charged down by Dominic Bernard.

Owens then could have scored himself, heading wide from 18 yards, before Blues had the final chance of the half as Poppa saw his angled drive bounce back off the base of Carey's post and into the hands of the grateful Bees goalkeeper.

It had been an entertaining first-half but it would turn out not to be a patch on what the second-half was to serve up.

The second-period was only four minutes old when Brentford took the lead as Senior got the final touch on a wicked Tom Field free-kick from the right-hand edge of the box.

Clayton drew a good save from Weaver while Audrius Laucys scuffed his shot when well placed and The Bees were punished for missing those chances as Poppa finished crisply from 15 yards to level things ten minutes into the half.

Carey did well to turn away Mbunga's shot while Westbrooke flashed a drive wide from 30 yards with Weaver a spectator.

As the game moved towards the final 20 minutes it became much more frantic and at times it resembled the closing stages of a cup tie with both sides flying forward looking for the win.

Brentford's passing football started to let them down and they played themselves into trouble on more than one occasion.

Carey was off his line quickly to block from Kieran Dunbar before he was tested again moments later by McDonald's long-range effort.

Poppa shot over and Mbunga wasted a glorious chance to give Birmingham the lead but he slashed wildly at his shot from 12 yards and blazed it over the bar.

Birmingham seemed to be creating a chance a minute and Owens made a brave block to deny McDonald seconds before Carey showed good handling to smother a shot from Poppa.

Senior gave a reminder of Brentford's attacking threat on the counter as he raced 60 yards before setting up James Ferry, making his first appearance of the season, but his shot was straight at Weaver.

McDonald pulled a shot right across the face of the goal from 12 yards and Laucys fired a foot over from distance and both sides continued to pile forward looking for the win.

Cooper and Deadfield were both denied by Carey before Birmingham wasted a highly presentable chance to take the lead.

After giving the ball away The Bees were caught four on two on the break and after Poppa had rolled in McDonald he smashed high and wide from 12 yards.

McDonald had another good chance to put Blues ahead but his shot, under pressure from Owens, was weak and straight at Carey.

Senior fired over from the edge of the box before Carey produced a wonderful save in the dying seconds to preserve Brentford's point.

Poppa looked for all the world as if he was going to round The Bees number one and roll into an empty net but Carey stretched out a palm to smother the ball and deny the Romanian Under-17 International a second goal.

Both sets of players slumped to the ground at full-time showing how much they had put into the game as it ended with a point for both sides.

: Jordan Carey; Chris Mepham, Gradi Milenge, Seth Owens, Tom Field; Kyjuon Marsh-Brown (sub Courtney Senior 46 mins), Zain Westbrooke, Reece Cole (sub James Ferry 62 mins), Jeremiah Kamanzi; Bradley Clayton, Joshua Bohui (sub Audrius Laucys 46 mins)

: Cameron Greave, George Harmes

: Jeremiah Kamanzi 57 mins

: Courtney Senior 49 mins

: Jake Weaver; Perry Cotton, Wes Harding, Dominic Bernard, Charlie Lakin (sub Corey O'Keeffe 49 mins); Kieran Dunbar, Charlie Cooper, Sam Deadfield (sub Jordan Potter 88 mins), Wes McDonald; David Poppa, Edji Mbunga (sub Khaleum Bailey 74 mins)

: Leighton Smith, Jack Challis

: David Poppa 54 mins