Ivan Toney scored a hat-trick and contributed an assist, as he continued the build-up to his return with 75 minutes in Brentford B’s 5-1 win over Southampton Under-23s at Wheatsheaf Park.

The striker, who is eligible for the Bees' next Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest in a fortnight, took just four minutes to make his mark on the game, sweeping home Kyreece Lisbie’s cross at the front post.

Southampton were level in slightly fortunate circumstances seven minutes later when Benjamin Arthur’s clearance cannoned off a Saints player and dropped perfectly for him to finish from close range.

However, Toney restored the Bees' lead with a deft header from Ethan Brierley’s free-kick, before rising highest to plant home from another teasing Brierley delivery 10 minutes into the second half.

Last season’s top scorer then turned provider, squaring for Iwan Morgan to make it four just past the hour, as Ashley Hay completed the scoring inside the final 15 minutes.

Brentford B were straight into their stride on a crisp morning at Wheatsheaf Park and got an early reward.

The goal owed much to the work of the hugely impressive Brierley in midfield - his interception and pass set Lisbie free down the right to cut back for the onrushing Toney to slot home from 10 yards. 

Ethan Laidlaw couldn’t get the better of the Saints stopper with a similar chance shortly after with the visitors then going on to level. Arthur did little wrong in attempting to clear a deep cross, but the ball struck Southampton’s no.7 at close range, dropping right back at his feet to tap home.

The Bees were getting real joy down the right with Brierley, Lisbie and Toney combining to great effect.

Last season’s top scorer had a volley blocked before he teed up Lisbie, when the winger’s low shot smuggled out from inside the six-yard box following Toney’s defence-splitting pass.

Laidlaw again tested the visiting keeper’s handling from a tight angle. Brierley crashed a long-range effort just wide after winning the ball back high up the pitch, and Toney had an effort beaten to safety as Neil MacFarlane’s side looked to regain the advantage.

The away side weren’t without their chances in an open first half, where both sides attacked with real pace and purpose.

Bees keeper Vincent Angelini made a superb sprawling save at close range to deny Southampton’s goalscorer a second. He was then a spectator as a long-range free-kick fizzed just over his crossbar.

A deft Toney touch set Lisbie free down the right again only to be denied by the body of the Saints’ keeper.

Just as it looked like the two sides would go in level, Toney made another telling contribution. Brierley delivered a free-kick from the right and the striker held off his man to deflect the cross across goal and just inside the far corner.

While Toney’s second showed a delicate touch, his third, 10 minutes after the restart, was pure power. It was the same route to goal with Brierley delivering a set piece to the near post, this time Toney planted his header back the way it came and into the bottom corner for his hat-trick.

The second half had far fewer efforts on goal than the first, but the Bees were ruthless with the ones they created and gave up almost nothing at the other end.

With three goals to his name, Toney then laid it on a plate with a low centre for Iwan Morgan to net with his first touch just past the hour.

That goal was the signal for both sides to make changes which broke up the flow of the game; Toney, alongside Brierley, withdrew with a quarter of an hour remaining.

His replacement, Hay, made an instant impact, rolling home a fifth into an empty net and was the width of the post away from adding a sixth when he connected with Romeo Beckham’s fine cross from the right late on.

Brentford B: Angelini (Rose 75), Farr (Beckham 62), Fredrick, Arthur (Dickov 75), McManus, Adedokun, Brierley (Holland 75), Owen (Wariuh 46), Lisbie (Morgan 60), Laidlaw (Yogane 75), Toney (Hay 75)