Charlton Athletic U21s 1 Brentford U21s 6 | OneFootball

An Ashley Hay hat-trick led Brentford Under-21s to a 6-1 Professional Development League win over Charlton Athletic Under-21s on Tuesday afternoon.

A first Brentford goal for Ben Krauhaus was a highlight of the first half, as was Paris Maghoma’s sublime finish in his return to the pitch from injury. Iwan Morgan came off the bench to add Brentford’s sixth and final goal late in the second half.

Brentford started strongly, the young Bees dominating possession across the opening five minutes without being able to penetrate the final third.

Their first real chance saw the visitors go ahead on seven minutes. Maghoma found Isaac Holland inside the box who flicked it on quickly to space, Krauhaus there to put it home for his first goal as a Bee.

While the game evened out possession-wise, Brentford continued to look dangerous in the final third. On 12 minutes Tony Yogane’s cross deflected off a Charlton defender across goal to Holland who headed it high. Ash Hay was there to keep it in and get it back to Holland, however his header went over the bar.

Charlton enjoyed their share of attacks as the first half wore on. Their shot on 21 minutes from outside the box was tipped over the bar by an outstretched Julian Eyestone in goal for Brentford.

After a free-kick chance went across goal for the home side on 22 minutes, they were dealt a blow one minute later as Alan Mwamba was shown a red card following a clash with Brentford defender Chanse Headman in the midfield.

The young Bees nearly the made the hosts pay on 32 minutes. Yunus Konak made a strong run through midfield to the edge of the box, put the ball in front of Krauhaus who fired a shot, but it was well saved by Lennon MacLorg in goal for Charlton.

Brentford went one better seven minutes later. Following good build up play, Maghoma took possession inside the box, took one touch to his left and fired the ball into the top left corner to make it 2-0.

Despite the young Bees dominating a lot of the half it was Charlton who took momentum into the break. A loose pass in defence was pounced on by Micah Mbick, who put it home to make it 2-1 in added time.

Coming out of the break both sides had early chances to hit the scoreboard. Yogane beat his man and cut inside the box on 50 minutes, his shot deflected away. Two minutes later, Kaheim Dixon pounced on a loose pass and fired a shot, which hit the left post before being cleared.

After back and forth play from both sides, it was Brentford who broke the stranglehold, Yogane’s cross met by a high jumping Hay who headed it home for his first goal.

Eight minutes later it was Hay again, this time coming from a Holland assist. The young Bees enjoyed a great build up from the back, the ball touching nearly every player on the pitch before eventually finding Holland in space down the right side. His cross found Hay, who took a touch and fired it home to make it 4-1.

The same situation occurred 10 minutes later, Holland crossing from the right side to Hay, who remained composed and fired it into the back of the net for his hat-trick and Brentford’s fifth.

Morgan put the icing on the cake after coming off the bench, his long range strike beating MacLorg to give Brentford a 6-1 win and all three points.

Charlton Athletic U21s: MacLorg, Hobden, Bower, Kedwell, Hunter, Laqeretabua, Rylah, Mwamba, Mbick, Dixon, Fullah

Subs: Safa, Sadler, Enslin, Toure, Casey

Brentford U21s: Eyestone, Holland, Yogane, Arthur (Fredrick, 45'), Headman (Avenell, 23’), Ji-soo (Morgan, 78'), Krauhaus, Konak (Brierley, 61'), Hay, Owen, Maghoma (Laidlaw, 45')