Brentford beat Derby County 3-0 in a preseason friendly at St George’s Park this afternoon.
The first 20 minutes of the game saw very few clear chances. The best came for The Bees when Paris Maghoma clipped a ball down the right for Henrik Dalsgaard to run on to. The Danish international’s cross was whipped across the face of goal but had too much pace for Tariqe Fosu running in at the far post.
Brentford took the lead after 35 minutes, Marcus Forss the scorer. Tariqe Fosu whipped a cross into the middle from the left, Forss challenged Mike te Wierik and the ball was knocked beyond Derby's new signing David Marshall.
County’s best chance of the first 45 minutes came from a Wayne Rooney free-kick just before half-time. It was nearly 30 yards out and was driven low, but Luke Daniels got across his line quickly and held on to the ball.
At the interval, Thomas Frank swapped out his entire squad while Derby opted to stay as they were.
Eight minutes into the second period, Brentford nearly doubled the lead. Mads Roerslev collected a throw-in from the right, then drilled a cross into the middle. Emiliano Marcondes was there in the centre to connect sweetly but the ball crashed off the crossbar.
The second Brentford goal came out of some great football with 15 minutes to go. Joel Valencia played Roerslev in down the right, the fullback then clipped a cross to the far post. Christian Norgaard was there to nod home from close range, his first goal in a Brentford shirt.
A few minutes from time it was 3-0, Mathias Jensen whipping the ball in from the edge of the box seeing it in off the right-hand post.
Brentford First Half: Daniels; Dalsgaard, Jansson, Sorensen, Hammar; Maghoma, Marcondes, Dasilva; Mbeumo, Forss, Fosu
Derby County First Half: Marshall; Wisdom, Te Wierik, Forsyth, Buchanan; Rooney, Bird, Shinnie; Whittaker, Knight, Marriott
Brentford Second Half: Raya; Roerslev, Goode, Pinnock, Henry; Norgaard, Jensen, Zamburek; Canós, Dervisoglu, Valencia
Derby County After 60 Mins: Ravas; Bogle, Davies, Solomon, Lowe; Evans, Ibrahim, Bennett; Shonibare, Hector-Ingram, Marriott (Stretton 77)