Alan McCormack played an hour on his return from a calf injury as Brentford’s Development Squad lost 3-0 to Millwall this afternoon in the U21 Professional Development League Two South.

The midfielder joined Scott Hogan in Flemming Pedersen’s side for the visit of The Lions to Jersey Road who took the lead on the half-hour as Jamie Philpot was left all alone to head home Kyron Farrell’s deep free-kick. The advantage was doubled just after the break as Philpot chased his own knockdown and then rounded Tim Brown to slot home.

The points were secured for the South London side eight minutes later as another Farrell free-kick caused confusion in The Bees backline, allowing Kris Twardek to steal in and slide home from close range. The closest Flemming Pedersen’s side came to a consolation was an Andy Gogia shot that flew the wrong side of Harry Girling’s near post.

With a strong, chill wind blowing across the Jersey Road training ground it was a scrappy opening to a match between two sides in contrasting runs of form: The Bees without a win in 2016 while The Lions were looking to cement their end of season Play-Off position after an unbeaten run in the league stretching back to October.

The early stages saw plenty of Brentford possession without much to show for it while the visitors were happy to sit back and soak up pressure, with Philpot and Mikael Ndjoli their outlets on the breakaway. On his return from a calf injury that had kept him out since early January, McCormack pulled a shot wide from the edge of the box before Gogia tested Girling with a curling shot from distance.

Mikael Ndjoli registered Millwall’s first shot on target after 15 minutes but his tame drive was easy for Tim Brown to gather. Gogia was proving to be Pedersen’s side’s most potent attacking threat and he did well to beat James Brown and cut inside onto his right foot, his effort deflected behind for a corner. Girling showed good handling to claim a low drive from Hogan before The Lions broke the deadlock with a simple set-piece goal: Farrell fired a wind-assisted free-kick from half-way towards goal and Philpot was left unmarked eight yards out to power a header home.

Brentford tried to respond before the interval but were restricted to a couple of half chances: Christian Mbulu nearly putting through his own net from Gogia’s low cross while Reece Cole’s free-kick brought a fine plunging save from Girling.

The Bees started the second-half at a much better tempo than they had played most of the first-half and could have been level inside a minute of the restart. A slick passing move ending with Bradley Clayton’s shot curling narrowly over the bar. Brentford bossed the opening minutes of the half but conceded a second as a Philpot won the first header against Zach Birse and chased down his own flick-on to round Brown and roll home.

The goal deflated The Bees and Millwall took full control. Farrell lifted a shot over the bar from Kris Twardek’s cut-back before the pair were involved in The Lions’ third. Farrell’s lofted free-kick was allowed to bounce inside the area and Twardek reacted quickest to take a touch and then slot past Brown. Ebere Eze was denied by Brown before Philpot missed a golden chance to wrap up his hat-trick, again from a set-piece, as he powered a header straight at Brown from 10 yards.

At the other end Zain Westbrooke drilled a shot past the post after good work by Cole and Clayton. Holldack’s underhit back header allowed Ndjoli in but he was denied by a fine save from Brown. McCormack and Hogan were withdrawn after 60 and 75 minutes respectively as the intensity looked to drain out of the game.

Gogia had an effort blocked behind before the German winger cut inside and fired into the side netting from the right-hand side of the box. Substitute Alex Skinner could have added a fourth in the closing minutes as he intercepted Holldack’s square ball to Brown but he couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball, running away from goal, and it struck the outside of the post and went behind.

Brentford: Tim Brown; Kyjuon Marsh-Brown, Jan Holldack, Zach Birse, Reece Cole; Zain Westbrooke (sub Ian Carlo Poveda 75 mins), James Ferry; Bradley Clayton, Alan McCormack (sub Herson Rodrigues Alves 60 mins), Andy Gogia; Scott Hogan (sub Josh Bohui 75 mins) Subs not used: Cameron Greaves

Millwall: Harry Girling; James Brown, Chris Parr, Christian Mbulu, Keaton Wood; Kris Twardek, Kyron Farrell, Harry Donovan, Ebere Eze (sub Alex Skinner 81 mins); Jamie Philpot, Mikael Ndjoli (sub Lewis White 75 mins) Subs not used: Ronnie O’Donnell, Ryan Sandford, Rian Bray