Bees whacked

HAMPTON AND RICHMOND BOROUGH 1 BRENTFORD 0

Brentford extended their pre-season winless run to three matches at the Beveree Stadium on Tuesday evening, Laurence Yaku's first half goal giving last season's Ryman Premier Champions the win.

Terry Butcher gave a debut to Grant Basey, on loan from Charlton, as well as trialists Lee Canoville and Ramon Calliste.

Hampton dominated the early proceedings, and Ian Hodges gave the Bees defence an early scare when his header glanced the outside of the post.

In the seventh minute Yaku chipped straight at Simon Brown when well placed, and six minutes later Brown saved superbly from the big striker's powerful low shot.

Trialists Raman Calliste and Ricky Shakes just failed to get on the end of Charlie Ide's teasing cross, before Hampton took the lead in the 16^th minute.

Following a series of throw-ins the ball was allowed to bounce in the box, and this time Yaku made no mistake, burying a left-foot shot past Brown from 12 yards.

In the 20^th minute Calliste found space on the edge of the box, but fired high and wide, and four minutes later Matt Heywood headed just over from a Craig Pead corner.

Glen Harris then forced a straightforward save from Brown before the Bees keeper was forced into action again, this time tipping over Graham Harper's goal-bound cross.

On 37 minutes Brown made a spectacular two handed save from a Harris long-range curler, before Lee Canoville shot over after a good interchange between Ide and Shakes at the other end.The last action of a Hampton dominated first half saw Yaku's shot deflected narrowly over the bar.

But if Hampton dominated the first half, the visitors dominated the second, Ryan Peters and trialist Gary Smith replacing Calliste and Tillen as Brentford started the half in a 4-3-3 formation and with renewed purpose.

With Smith pulling the strings on the left side of midfield, the Bees started putting together some passes, and Mackie came close to scoring on 58 minutes, heading just wide from a Pead corner.

At the other end the impressive Yaku made space but pulled his shot wide, before Shakes' cross-shot was easily gathered by Matt Lovett in the Hampton goal.

Pead was stretchered off on 65 minutes following a collision on the edge of the Hampton box, he was replaced by John Mousinho.

The Bees three-man strike force was starting to look dangerous, Peters seeing his shot charged down, before the Bees had their best chances of the game in quick succession.

From a Smith free-kick, Heywood saw his header blocked, Peters then saw his shot cleared off the line. The ball fell to Ide, who saw his shot hooked away, but only onto the head of Peters, the ball sailing narrowly over the bar with Lovett beaten.

Shakes and Peters then swapped sides, with the trialist causing the tiring Hampton defence problems, and Peters heading just wide following another Smith set-piece.

Shakes then fired over from 20 yards.

Brentford continued to create chances, and on 84 minutes Ide forced a corner having chased down a Peters flick-on. Smith picked out O'Connor who saw his header cleared off the line with Lovett beaten.

A minute later a marvellous run by Lee Canoville resulted in his looped cross picking out Ide at the far post, only for the Bees' striker to see his header smack the foot of the upright.

Hampton finished the game the stronger and could have sealed the win in the last minute, substitute Francis Quarm's diving header brilliantly turned away by Brown.

Moments later the final whistle was blown, and Brentford will be hoping to improve on this result when they travel to Basingstoke for their fourth pre-season friendly on Wednesday evening.

Written by Matt Davis

Brentford: Simon Brown, Lee Canoville (Trialist), Matt Heywood, John Mackie, Grant Basey, Craid Pead (sub John Mousinho 65), Kevin O'Connor, Ricky Shakes (Trialist), Sam Tillen (sub Gary Smith (Trialist) h/t) , Raman Calliste (Trialist) (sub Ryan Peters h/t), Charlie Ide,

Subs (not used) Clark Masters, Karleigh Osborne, Paul Brooker,

Att: 1023

This report courtesy of the Official Brentford FC Website