With 18 members of the First and B Team away on international duty, Brian Riemer’s side had a very youthful feel. Luka Racic played 75 minutes alongside Ethan Pinnock, as he continues his injury recovery, while Mathias Jensen, Dru Yearwood, and Josh Dasilva played the full 90 minutes as a midfield trio.

The Saints moved the ball around the pitch well in the opening stages and would likely have opened the scoring inside four minutes were it not for a superb challenge from Yearwood on Che Adams. However, shortly after they did take the lead as Obafemi crossed low for Long to bundle home.

A second arrived on the quarter hour as Obafemi capitalised on a loose backpass to nip in and poke home. The Bees, to their credit, rallied after those early setbacks without really troubling the home defence. The best opening came for Mathias Jensen, but his shot was off target from distance.

The pattern of the game continued in a similar vein after the break, with Southampton working the ball patiently but with very few chances at either end. Josh Dasilva’s low free-kick was nearly turned into his own net by a Southampton defender while at the other end, Luke Daniels got down well to save at his near post.

As the game opened up in the closing stages, Daniels began to excel. He made a superb reflex save to prevent a deflected cross creeping in and then repelled a close-range effort from substitute Ings. When he was beaten, Racic came to his aid with a sliding clearance off the line.

Brentford’s best chance of the second period fell to Pinnock but his header was palmed away by Southampton’s stopper.

Inside the final ten minutes, The Saints found the net twice to apply extra gloss to the score-line; Vestergaard sweeping home a low cross from the edge of the six yard box before Ings tapped home at the back post to complete the scoring in the final minute.

Brentford: Daniels; Tsaroulla (Mitchell 88), Racic (O’Connor 75), Pinnock, Thompson; Yearwood; Brissett (Carre 85), M. Jensen, Dasilva, C. Tue Jensen (Read 78); Onen (Majka 85)

Subs not used: Sheppard