RESERVES: BRENTFORD 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 2
Friendly | Griffin Park | Scorers: Mepham 12, 60, Alves 22; Riley 64, Goss 71
Manchester United narrowly lost out in an entertaining friendly at Griffin Park, which was arranged in conjunction with the deal that saw Brentford's Joshua Bohui join the Reds in the summer.
The Reds found themselves trailing by three goals with less than half an hour to play, but a spirited fightback, culminating in goals by Joe Riley and Sean Goss, almost saved the day.
Assistant Under-23 boss Tommy Martin was in charge of the team for this fixture, which was, of course, the team's first game since Warren Joyce's hugely successful spell as Reserves boss ended when he departed to take the up the post as first-team manager at Wigan Athletic.
United, wearing a change strip of blue shirts and white shorts so as not to clash with Brentford’s traditional red and white stripes, started the game brightly against the west London side.
The Bees, however, were in no mood to play second fiddle to their illustrious visitors, and in the 12th minute they swept into the lead when Chris Mepham lashed home an unstoppable shot from well outside the area.
And, as if to prove that their opening goal was no fluke, the Bees struck again, 10 minutes later, when Herson Alves headed home from Reece Cole’s right-wing cross.
It has to be said that Brentford were good value for their lead, but United almost reduced the margin in the 36th minute, when Matthew Willock’s fierce drive was kept out by a flying save from keeper Dominic Kurasik.
Four minutes before the break and Brentford were within inches of stretching their when Tom Field’s shot struck the woodwork.
United’s woes increased in the 59th minute, when Mepham claimed his second goal of the game, and Brentford’s third, after United had failed to defend a corner.
The game appeared to out of United’s reach, but first Riley found the net, with a long-range, curling shot in the 64th minute, and then, seven minutes later, Sean Goss beat keeper Kurasik from distance.
Bohui made a brief cameo appearance against his former club after being introduced into the game with 12 minutes to go.
United almost snatched a last-ditch equaliser in dying embers of the game, when Riley just failed to get on the end of Charlie Scott’s cross.
United: O'Hara; El Fitouri (Diedrick-Roberts 83), Williams, Poole, Riley; Olosunde (Scott 58), Goss, Willock, Mitchell (Doughty 61); Kehinde (Bohui 78), Redmond. Sub not used: M.Johnstone
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