Two goals from Joe Adams and one from Lachlan Brook earned the side the win in a display full of character.

A mild summer’s evening by the coast played host to a Brentford comeback in a performance which required grit and determination from Neil MacFarlane’s young side as they bounced back following last Saturday’s defeat at Dulwich Hamlet.

Their third pre-season game saw the Brentford B Head Coach field a strong XI with the notable names in Matt Cox, who made his debut, and Lewis Gordon returned to the fold following his recent exploits with the First Team.

It was a game which United started the brighter as they threatened early through Rhys Murphy as he tried an acrobatic effort inside one minute which edged wide of goal.

Within five minutes United had the lead and it came in frustrating circumstances for The Bees as a corner quickly followed bodies flooding back as the home side broke away and Jack Bridge went through on goal to finish, despite the best efforts of the sliding Daniel Oyegoke.

Alex Gilbert then threatened when he attempted to catch out Steve Arnold in the United goal, and his floated shot beat the keeper, but it could only find the top of the crossbar from distance.

Sam Dalby added a second for Southend just before the 20-minute mark when a strike from Rhys Murphy was parried by Cox, leaving the United man to fire home from close range to make it 2-0.

Shortly after, Brentford B managed to pull a goal back and it came when Nathan Young-Coombes was fouled in the penalty area as Arnold rushed from his goal to bring down the Brentford forward. That left Adams the opportunity to score his third successive penalty in as many games as he stepped up to confidently convert to the keeper’s left.

An improved period then saw Brentford level before the break. A flurry of chances fell after good work from Gilbert who won possession high, and when his shot was blocked, Young-Coombes fired against the post before the ball eventually scrambled out kindly for Adams to finish as he claimed his second of the game.

It took around 10 minutes after half-time for Brentford B to put themselves in front for the first time in the match, and the goal came in style. The lively Paris Maghoma fed Adams, who drove inside off the left before the ball fell into the path of Brook who stroked home with his left foot.

Credit to the young Bees having got themselves in front, they reduced Southend to fewer chances as the game ticked by. A chance for Louis Walsh fell not long before the end but he could only find the side netting and Ben Winterbottom’s handling kept the pressure off the side as they held onto an excellent win.

Southend United: Arnold, Demetriou, Bridge, White, Hobson, Ralph, Dunne, Ogogo, Dalby, Murphy, PhillipsSubs: Seaden, Sayers, Davis, Walsh, Egbri, Holmes, Clifford

Brentford XI: Cox (Winterbottom, 60), Oyegoke, Russell (Hockenhull, 60), Crama, Gordon, Oksanen (Jefferies, 60), Maghoma, Gilbert (Trialist, 72) Brook (Mogensen, 60), Young-Coombes (Trialist, 60), Adams (Hercules, 70)Subs: Trevitt