Stoke City U21s 2 Brentford U21s 3: Furo and Mawene on target in opening Premier League 2 win | OneFootball

Brentford Under-21s began their Premier League 2 campaign with a 3-2 win over Stoke City Under-21s at bet365 Stadium on Friday night.

Kaye Furo got Sam Saunders' side off to the best start inside 10 minutes as he found the opener, Theo Mawene and an own goal rounding out the other goals en route to securing all three points.

There were six changes to the side that beat Wycombe Wanderers Reserves 2-0 in the Premier League Cup last time out, goalkeeper Reggie Rose, Caelan Avenell, debutant Donal O'Connor, Riley Owen, Furo and Mawene coming into the starting line-up.

The Bees’ start couldn’t have been any better as Furo found the opener on six minutes. Mawene looked to play the striker through the backline, however it seemed as if it would be looked after by Stoke’s defence as Furo trailed his opponent. The no.9 fought his way into front position, however, and calmly slotting the ball home to make it 1-0.

The Potters immediately looked to respond as Tyler Martin made his way deep into Brentford’s box down the left side, but he was met by Rose coming out of his goal for the visitors to squash the threat.

The west Londoners were finding space out the back of Stoke’s backline and almost pounced on it on 13 minutes. Avenell’s ball over the top hit a breaking Michel Boni who made his way into the box and looked to score, but the effort was deflected over the bar for a corner.

On top in the game Saunders’ side eyed a second goal and got just that on 25 minutes. Set free by a sharp Jayden Meghoma pass, Mawene went on a scintillating run, fighting past multiple defenders deep in Stoke’s box before moving central, turning and firing it home with his right foot to make it 2-0.

With 15 minutes to play in the half it was the hosts who wrestled back some momentum. Tristan Achu battled strongly with Ji-soo Kim in Brentford’s box, the latter taking him down which prompted the referee to point straight to the spot.

Gabriel Kelly stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the right side of the net for the hosts to make it 2-1.

The west Londoners responded though and looked to immediately pose a threat down the other end. Mawene was slipped through down the right from an Owen free-kick, his cross taking a deflection and falling on Furo’s head in the middle of the box, but his effort was sent straight at Noah Cooper in goal for Stoke.

Three minutes later as half-time quickly approached the ball was sent around the top of Brentford’s box, Andre Grey finding Boni who took a touch to his right before sending the ball goalward, but it was wide right.

Saunders’ side wasted no time going on the attack as the second half got under way, scoring inside five minutes of the restart. Played down the left side of Stoke’s box by Boni, Meghoma’s cross was then put into the host's net for an own goal to re-establish the Bees’ two-goal lead.

The hour-mark came and went and it was Isaac Holland on the attack next as he continued his return from injury. Running onto Owen’s slick ball over the top of the backline the winger looked to lob Cooper, but his effort was right of the goal.

As the clock ticked over 75 minutes the hosts had two clear shots kept out. Captain Avenell found himself in the right place at the right time as he cleared a shot off the line, Rose then diving high to his left to keep out the ensuing shot.

A minute later Mawene was replaced by debutant Ben Wilson following a strong shift, Wilson enjoying his first competitive minutes in a Brentford shirt.

The momentum carried through for the Potters and they pulled one back on 83 minutes. Fletcher Poole’s cross from the right side of the box found George Morrison in the middle and the forward tapped it home to make it 3-2.

As the clock ticked into added time the Bees looked certain to score a late goal to ensure the win as Furo broke down the right side. His cross found Boni in the box with a clear look on goal, but his effort was sent straight at Cooper who secured it.

Full-time followed soon after, securing all three points for the visitors. Brentford now turn their attention to Sunderland at Wheatsheaf Park on 31 August.

Stoke City U21s: Cooper, Iddrisa (Phillips 76), Nzau, Collins, Thompson, Kelly, Fearn (Poole 61), Morrison, Makavore (Walker 61), Achu (Liu 76), Martin

Subs not used: Knight

Booked: Iddrisa 59

Brentford U21s: Rose, Avenell, Meghoma, Ji-soo, O’Connor (Holland 61), Grey, Wheeler-Henry, Owen, Furo, Mawene (Wilson 76), Boni

Subs not used: Klimas, Stokes, Powis, Hanson, Picotto

Booked: Owen 15, Wheeler-Henry 72, Avenell 73, Grey 89