A stoppage-time winner from Joseph Wheeler-Henry helped Brentford Under-21s defeat Bournemouth Under-21s 4-3 at Wimborne Town Football Club on Monday night.
Wheeler-Henry scored his first early on in the game for the young Bees as well. Riley Owen also netted in the first half to see the game sit 2-2 at half-time, before Isaac Holland scored immediately from the restart for the west Londoners.
Sam Saunders’ side started with promise on two minutes as they found space behind the hosts’ backline. Ben Wilson’s pass from midfield freed up Owen down the right side, the Bees’ no.10 looking to cross to Holland in the box. The pass was intercepted, however, and eventually a goal kick was given to Bournemouth.
Three minutes later, Eugene Nyarko found himself in space outside the Brentford box and looked to score from distance, but his strike was saved by Aidan Stokes diving low to his right in goal for the visitors.
The attacking start to the game continued as Holland found himself in space on the counter attack down the right side. His cross was perfectly placed for Jai Nwosu breaking into Bournemouth’s box, the striker putting his shot over the bar.
As the game ticked over 20 minutes, the hosts enjoyed a spell of momentum. Malcom Dacosta received the ball on the edge of Brentford’s box and turned and fired at goal, but the ball was sent straight at Stokes.
The ensuing play saw the Cherries cross to a dangerous position in the box from the right side, but the Bees’ backline did enough to defend the danger and clear the ball.
The opener came on 29 minutes for Bournemouth. Their corner from the right side bobbled around at the near post before falling to George Chubinidze, who smashed it home.
Saunders’ side didn’t have to wait long for an equaliser though. Running onto a well-placed ball from Owen down the right side of Bournemouth’s box, Wheeler-Henry managed to score from the tightest of angles for his third goal of the season.
A second followed four minutes later through Owen. Ollie Shield’s cross from the left side was delivered into a dangerous area of the hosts’ box, Owen running onto the ball and slotting it into the bottom-right corner to give the west Londoners the lead.
The hosts responded and Veljko Milosavljevic was played through into space down the right side of Brentford’s box, but captain Caelan Avenell’s timely slide tackle saved the day.
The equaliser for Bournemouth came on 45 minutes. Breaking down the right side on the counter attack, Chubinidze composed himself before sending a well-placed cross to Charlie Stevens who finished well from close range.
Saunders’ side responded though and nearly had a third in stoppage-time. Nwoso beat Cherries goalkeeper Kai Crampton to the ball down the left side before crossing towards an empty goal, but no one was there to finish off the job.
Bournemouth U21s vs Brentford U21s
Nwosu got his assist immediately after the restart. Holland ran onto Nwosu’s well-placed ball through the Bournemouth backline, finding himself one-on-one with Crampton. The Brentford no.7 calmly chipped the ball over the goalkeeper and into an empty net to restore the visitors’ lead.
Stokes was called into action just after the hour mark and pulled off a miraculous double save. He first parried a headed effort at the back post, before diving back in front of his goal to keep out the rebound effort from close range and help the game remain 3-2 in the Bees’ favour.
Avenell was the from the backline to save the day for the west Londoners. Dacosta won the ball back for the hosts near the halfway line and pushed forward before playing to Eugene Nyarko. He looked to score with his right foot, but the Brentford captain slid in to make a timely tackle.
The ensuing corner from the left side found Nyarko unopposed in the Brentford box, his header finding the back of the net for the equaliser.
Saunders’ side looked to respond and came close on 71 minutes. Holland broke forward down the right side and made his way into the Bournemouth box. His cut back found Wilson, but that right-footed effort was wide of the target.
With 15 minutes to play, the Cherries thought they’d moved in front as Stevens turned and fired at goal inside the Brentford box, but the ball bounced back off the post and the hosts were offside for the rebound.
With 10 minutes to play, substitute Domeiro Bobb-Semple found himself in a goalscoring position in the middle of Bournemouth’s box as he ran onto Shield’s cross, but his strike was kept out by Crampton.
In response, Nyarko broke forward for the hosts and looked to score as he crossed into Brentford’s box, but the ball sailed over the bar.
With a minute to play in the game, Kelvin Arthur’s cross from the left was blocked, the fall falling to Nyarko, who smashed the ball in the back of the net. The assistant had his flag up, however, and he was ruled offside.
There was to be late drama down the other end. Avenell’s cross found Wheeler-Henry free on the right side of the box, the right-back looking to cross the ball back into the danger area. Crampton lost the ball in the wind, before it bounced passed him and into an empty net for a late Brentford winner.
Bournemouth U21s: Crampton, Aarons, Solanke, Sills, William, Milosavljevic (Ali 63), Chubinidze (Scafe 88), Dacosta, Nyarko, Stevens, Ndimukum (Arthur 81)
Subs not used: Westcott, Osazee, Lyall-Rajendra, Hughes
Booked: Stevens 56, Solanke 90+1
Brentford U21s: Stokes, Wheeler-Henry, Shield, Avenell, Oladapo-Gamu (Picotto 70), Gorman (Giscombe 88), Holland, Grey, Nwosu (Bobb-Semple 70), Owen, Wilson (Hanson 88)
Subs not used: Wolfheimer, Powis, Trimboli
Booked: Wheeler-Henry 78
Saunders: I'm really proud
Reaction: Sam Saunders on Bournemouth win
Brentford Under-21s head coach Sam Saunders reflected on his side's entertaining 4-3 win over Bournemouth away from home on Monday night.
"You could tell after two or three minutes it wasn't going to be a 0-0, both teams were really aggressive, both teams wanted to win the game," he said.
"We changed the shape and the structure tonight to try and throw them off a little bit. I'm really, really proud. We showed some really good moments, some really good energy, some really good work ethic, some human being qualities, sticking together.
"It's disappointing to concede two set-pieces again. We'll keep working on that because we don't want to keep giving teams leg-ups from set-pieces, but the response we showed time and time again to keep coming back was great."