City's U21 side defeated the Bees on Tuesday afternoon.
POST-MATCH | DARREN PURSE
"It was a bit of a strange game. Obviously the indecision of their goalkeeper and them having to put an outfielder in goal is a first for me and a first for the players. In those first 40 minutes we didn't adapt to it and we didn't test their keeper. We had the wind in the first half too. To score the two goals directly before the break changed our team talk, changed our approach, and it gave us a good base to build on for the second half.
"The first goal comes from a really good cross from Caiden [Voice] which Luke [Pearce] manages to get his head onto, and that was the first time we really out their keeper under any pressure. We get the second before the break and that changed the dynamic. If we hadn't have gotten that second before half time, it could have been a different game.
"I thought Caiden did well, especially considering he was playing out of position. Left back is not a natural position for him, but I thought he did really well. He was comfortable in possession, aggressive when he needed to be, and it was probably a comfortable game for him. All the players dealt with playing against ten men really well, because it could have been a tough afternoon for them when they bank in and defend.
"The boys had a recovery day on Wednesday, and we will get some match prep done on Thursday ready for Coventry on Friday. We will help the first team with their preparation too this week, but if we can have a similar performance to the one against Brentford, it will hopefully end up being a really good week for us. It's tough for the boys to play a Tuesday, Friday, Monday schedule, but that is part and parcel of being a professional footballer. You have to run with the games when they come, but we're looking forward to hopefully picking up some more positive results."
MATCH SUMMARY
The first flashpoint came just five minutes in, when Brentford goalkeeper Reginald Rose was shown a straight red card for a foul on Luke Pearce. With no goalkeeper on the bench, defender Maxwell McKnight took on the role. City dominated possession but couldn't find a way past the makeshift keeper. That was until the 41st minute, when Pearce headed home from Caiden Voice's cross. Before the break the lead was doubled, with Jake Davies' strike taking a wicked deflection on its way into the back of the net.
The Bluebirds' dominance continued into the second half with the third goal coming shortly after the hour mark. Charlie O'Brien's cross was flicked on by Pearce into the path of Mannie Barton, who nodded home at the far post. The scoring spree came to an end eleven minutes from time as Dan Ola fired the ball into the roof of the net, as Darren Purse's side picked up their first win of 2026.
PRE-MATCH | DARREN PURSE
Ahead of Tuesday afternoon's fixture, we caught up with Darren Purse.
"It's been a really tough start to the new year," said Darren. "We've seen a couple of the lads go out on loan and then we have some of the U18 players stepping up. We can see that those lads are improving in the U21 environment, but it's about them knowing the level and being willing to take that opportunity once it comes their way. But hopefully, we can put in a good performance and get a good result on Tuesday.
"It's been really good to have Caden [Voice] in as part of the group. He played a game behind closed doors on Thursday night against Galway United, as we helped them prepare for their new season. He did everything that was required of him in that game and it was a good opportunity for him to blow some cobwebs away. Caden is a player who looks to break between the lines, who is aggressive, and a player we hope to see over the next few weeks.
"It's going to be a very tough game against Brentford. They are a quality team who have been able to bring a couple of players into their academy system. I do believe that they are one of the top sides in this league, and it will be a good test for us as a team to see how we measure up against them."
LAST TIME OUT
The young Bluebirds suffered their second consecutive defeat of the new year last week, losing 3-1 away at Bristol City.
The hosts took the lead with seven minutes on the clock, as Marley Thelwell found the net, requiring a reaction from the young Bluebirds. The equaliser came just before the break, with summer recruit Charlie O'Brien finding the net.
Two second-half goals for the Robins secured all three points, coming from Luke Skinner and Jed Meerholz.
TICKET INFORMATION
Entry for the match at Cardiff International Sports Campus will be free for all supporters.
REACHING THE GROUND
Supporters planning on attending should use the following address:
Cardiff International Sports Campus, Leckwith Rd, Cardiff, CF11 8AZ.
The ground is located an 11-minute walk away from Ninian Park station and a 32-minute walk from Cardiff Central station.