Will the Bees' Bs be buzzing at Champion Hill on Saturday

Last of the home preseason games takes place tomorrow as Dulwich Hamlet entertain Brentford's B Team, an unique experiment in youth development.

Past meetings between ourselves and the Bees have been few and far between. Back in November 2013 the youngsters of the Dulwich Hamlet ASPIRE Academy travelled to Griffin Park for an FA Youth Cup Second Round tie, losing 2-0 to a brace of second half from Courtney Senior. However, a couple of players from that evening’s encounter are likely to see action this afternoon with Zain Westbrooke starting for Brentford and Jamie Mascoll doing likewise for the Hamlet. Prior to that it was a stiflingly hot Sunday afternoon back in July 1999 when Brentford came to Champion Hill to contest a preseason friendly. Griffin Park was a different place then, under the rule of the autocratic Ron Noades, chairman, manager and chief bottle washer too probably. With their game against QPR postponed the previous day, it was a full-strength Bees side that lined up against the Hamlet but the conditions did not make for the most engaging of contests. The only goal of the game came after 41 minutes as a superb flowing move by the visitors, down the left wing, involving good interplay between Ijah Anderson and Lloyd Uwusu resulted in Anderson crossing from the edge of the penalty area and Robert Quinn running in and leaping to head home a fine goal. In the second half, following a trip on Owusu in the area, Paul Evans stepped up to take the penalty, but his blockbuster was saved by Dulwich ‘keeper Les Cleveley, one of a number of fine saves he made that day.

After the Brentford Academy was closed at the end of the 2015–16 season, the Development Squad was renamed Brentford B. From the beginning of the 2016–17 season, the team plays friendly matches against Category One academies and international teams, with a squad of players aged from 17 to 21. Both the players and staff are part of an ongoing exchange of information with Brentford's partner club FC Midtjylland. Owner Matthew Benham revealed in July 2016 that with the club needing to focus on the first team and its new stadium, "the B team seemed like a simpler and more attractive option" and Head of Football Operations Robert Rowan stated that the team's initial objective is to promote at least one player into the first team squad by the end of the 2016–17 season. Rowan described the recruitment process as being to identify "different leagues where the physical qualities are often overlooked in favour of the tactical qualities, whereas in England if you are physical you have a good chance of being a good player. The tactical side of things can be taught" and that "there isn’t much point in us going to scout young talent in lower league clubs as every Premier League club can out-spend and out-resource us".

Under head coach Flemming Pedersen and assistant coach Kevin O'Connor, the team's first fixture took place on 20 July 2016 against an FC Midtjylland XI, winning 4–3 on penalties after drawing 2–2 at the end of normal time. On 17 November 2016, O'Connor replaced Pedersen as a head coach and during the season, left back Tom Field and forward Justin Shaibu became the first players to graduate to the first team from the B team, both signing long-term contracts. A further eight players won calls into the first team squad, with Jan Holldack, Chris Mepham, Reece Cole and Zain Westbrooke making their senior debuts. The team won its first silverware on 22 January 2017, winning the 2017 Kai Thor Cup in Odense, Denmark after victories over Hamburger SV U19 and SK Brann U19. In addition, the team's debut season featured victories over U23 teams from Manchester United, Liverpool (on penalties), West Bromwich Albion, Queens Park Rangers, Reading and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Prior to their visit to Champion Hill this afternoon the Brentford B team has been busy in action and clocking up the Air Miles. This afternoon will be their fifth game of preseason and they will be looking to maintain their 100% record after winning the previous four, results that have in included victories over the likes of Benfica B and a Chelsea XI.

On the 11th July, they travelled out to Hungary to face local second division side ETO Gyor. The Bees went ahead after 17 minutes when Ali Coote ran on to a through ball from Jan Holldack to clip the ball past the advancing ‘keeper. Though the Hungarians had a quick chance to level from the penalty spot England Under 20 custodian Ellery Balcombe was equal to Jozsef Mafasfoldi’s effort having already denied his opponent as early as the third minute. On 25 minutes Ilias Chatzitheodoridis made it 2-0 with an acrobatic effort after some bagatelle in the box. Early in the second half Coote added his second and Brentford’s third with a powerful drive that left the ‘keeper rooted as it crashed in off the far post. With 15 minutes remaining Zain Westbrook converted a penalty to make the final score 4-0.

Three days later the Bees faced Slovak opposition in the shape MSK Zilina U23s. Things were a lot tougher this time and Brentford found themselves having to battle back from a goal deficit to secure the victory. After a furious exchange for opportunities for both sides Zilina took the lead on 32 minutes as a piledriver of a shot from distance courtesy of Robert Polievka cannoned into the net via the upright. The Slovaks had a goal disallowed and soon after Brentford were back on level terms as Bradley Clayton’s pulled a cross back from the by-line for Theo Archibald to slam the ball into the roof of the net. After the break Westbrook’s deft set allowed Coote to hammer the ball home into the top corner to put the Bees ahead for the first time but it was far from plain sailing thereon in with Balcombe making a fine save late on and a Zilina header shaving the post as time ran out.

Next stop would be Lisbon and on a rainy Wednesday afternoon in the Portuguese capital, the Brentford side recorded their biggest and best victory of preseason on far, slaughtering Benfica B 6-0 on home turf. The result is all the more impressive given that Benfica B compete in LigaPro, the second tier of Portuguese football, finishing in fourth place last season. Brentford were out the traps fast hitting their hosts with two goals inside the first six minutes, Finnish youth international Marcus Forss doing the damage with both goals, the first a half-volley to tuck home Theo Archibald's low cross, the second showing good strength to get away from his marker and drill the ball into the net. On 23 minutes Forss completed his hattrick as pounced on a weak back pass to go one-on-one with ‘keeper Ivan Zlobin, rounding him before tucking the ball home though a flood of defenders desperately rushing back to retrieve the situation but to no avail. Westbrooke added a fourth before the break, the pick of the bunch as a first-time strike found the top corner. After the break things started to get a little tasty as the hosts tried to impose themselves on the game but Brentford were more than able to match any overt physicality. On 69 minutes Forss had a fourth, the ball dropping kindly for him after Archibald failed to connect and swiftly dispatched into the net from close range. Number six came eight minutes later as substitute Jan Novak, recently replacing Archibald, put the finishing touches to an excellent move firing home as he met Lukas Talbro’s cross in from the right.

Back in Blighty last Saturday morning and the Bees travelled to Chelsea’s Cobham training facility to face a tough Blues squad. Having already forced into a goal line clearance to prevent Chelsea going ahead, Brentford fell behind in just the third minute as Manny Onariase’s foul in the box saw a penalty awarded one Balcombe was powerless to keep out. Though Chelsea remained in control, playing the ball up form the back and forcing the Bees to defend deep, Brentford were starting to find their rhythm. 27 minutes had been played when the Bees made their breakthrough with Coote rifling home a 20-yard effort. Inspired by that goal Brentford came out much the stronger side after the break but Chelsea still had plenty in the tank. Just after the hour mark, a change of attacking tactics drew almost instant reward when a low cross from Talbro found Justin Shaibu lurking in the six-yard box from where he was able to smack home with aplomb. The latter stages brought further chances for the Bees and though they were unable to add to their advantage, they confidently held Chelsea at bay to make it four wins from four games.

This game takes place on Saturday 29th July, kick off time 3.00 pm, at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, LONDON SE22 8BD

Admission prices:

• £11 for Adults
• £5 for Concessions and Dulwich Hamlet 2017/2018 Season Ticket Holders
• NB: Concessions cover Seniors - 60+, Teenagers (13-19), Unemployed (JSA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), NHS Staff, Blue Light Services, Serving Members of the Armed Forces and Full Time Students. (Please bring a form of valid ID for your concession as you might not be admitted without that)
• Under 13s FREE accompanied by a paying adult

Programmes: £2