Three first half goals gave Brentford’s Development Squad a win in their opening match of the Under-21 Professional Development League Two season against Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.

Two from Jan Holldack inside the first ten minutes ended it as a contest almost before it had begun.

And when Daniel O’Shaughnessy headed a third late in the first half anything other than a Brentford went had gone out of the window.

Birmingham pulled one back from the penalty spot in the second half and ended the match well but Brentford fully merited the win and 3-1 was the least they deserved.

Brentford started positively and scored with their first real foray in to Birmingham territory six minutes in.

Holldack, who had started the move, was in the right place to convert from eight yards when Aaron Green delivered a cross after jinking past his man.

It was two soon after as a quick throw was worked on by Tom Field and Greene to Holldack 19 yards out and he placed a shot in to the bottom corner.

Brentford had been on top in the opening stages but not completely dominant.

George O’Neill shot wide for the hosts, Brentford goalkeeper Mark Smith saved from Liam Truslove and then palmed out a dangerous low cross from Viv Solomon-Otabor.

But once Brentford got in to their stride, there was only one team in it.

Sam Saunders started to pull the strings in midfield and Montell Moore tormented Birmingham left back Steve Seddon.

Audrius Laucys offered support on the right side and with Field and Greene in attacking areas on the other The Bees were flooding forward.

Holldack was always looking for space to shoot and saw an effort deflect just wide before Green had a shot blocked and a Seika Jatta effort was blocked.

Brentford’s third came when Saunders delivered a corner from the right, with his left foot, and O’Shaughnessy rose to head in.

And it could have been worse before the break when Saunders saw a shot blocked.

Moore and Holldack saw shots blocked soon after the restart but Birmingham got a goal seven minutes in to the second half.

Solomon-Otabor weaved his way in the box and went down after Moore slid in.

A penalty was awarded and Solomon-Otabor placed it out of the reach of Smith to reduce the deficit.

Brentford responded well to the goal, Saunders curled a free kick against the crossbar and a Holldack header was blocked.

Moore then curled an effort wide and Connal Trueman saved at the feed of Jatta.

But Birmingham had more attacking threat in the second half.

Solomon-Otabor’s free kick was blocked and substitute Wes McDonald blasted wide.

Alex Jones missed the target with two efforts and Solomon-Otabor, Birmingham’s best player on the night, blasted wide.

But Brentford always had a measure of control and had done enough to earn their win.

Brentford Development Squad: Mark Smith; Audrius Laucys, Gradi Milenge, Daniel O'Shaughnessy, Tom Field; James Ferry, Sam Saunders (sub Ian Carlo Poveda 60 mins), Jan Holldack (sub Zain Westbrooke 70 mins); Montell Moore, Seika Jatta (sub Josh Bohui 73 mins), Aaron Greene

Subs (not used): Herson Rodrigues Alves, Seth Owens

Bookings: Milenge (60 mins)

Birmingham City Development Squad: Connal Trueman; Josh Cogley, Wesley Harding, William Abbotts (sub Kyle McFarlane 77 mins), Steve Seddon; George O'Neill (sub Wes McDonald 62 mins), Charlie Cooper, Noe Baba, Viv Solomon-Otabor; Alex Jones, Liam Truslove

Subs (not used): Jacob Weaver, Perry Cotton, Dominic Bernard

By Chris Wickham