Brentford B edge Gillingham in pre-season friendly

Brentford B beat Gillingham 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors training ground match on Saturday, with Omar Beckles pulling one back for the Gills. The Bees’ youngsters led twice before Beckles’ 76th-minute header from James Brophy’s corner set up a late fightback that fell short.

What happened on the day

Gillingham, playing their fourth senior pre-season outing, started strongly and kept Brentford at bay early on. The hosts broke the deadlock on 20 minutes when a Brentford corner found the edge of the box and was fired home beyond Ollie Holtam. Robbie McKenzie nearly doubled the lead before the break, but Kadeem Harris went wide early in the second half.

Brentford added a second after a defensive mix-up, and Gillingham responded with Beckles heading over from Brophy’s set-piece. The Gills finally got their goal through Will Goodwin, who saw a shot saved before Beckles powered home from close range. Brentford’s goalkeeper made late saves to deny Gillingham an equaliser.

Why it matters for Brentford

This result is the latest step in Brentford’s pre-season build-up as they prepare for their Premier League return. The club sits ninth in the table with 53 points from last season’s 38-game campaign, level on points with Manchester United but 32 adrift of Arsenal. Their recent form reads DDLWL, and they kick off the new campaign at home to Chelsea on 18 September.

The Bees have already shipped 52 goals last term and will be looking to tighten up at the back. Holtam, Gale, Smith, Beckles and Gordon all featured for Gillingham, while Brentford’s youngsters showed composure under pressure. The visitors’ set-pieces were sharp, with Brophy and Luxton causing problems throughout.

What comes next for both sides

Gillingham head to Ebbsfleet United for their next outing on Friday night, while Brentford continue their preparations ahead of the league opener. The Bees’ focus will be on shoring up their defence and integrating new additions before facing Chelsea in their first fixture of the new season. For Gillingham, the priority is building momentum after a tough pre-season run that saw them concede twice in each of their last two games.

League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 9th in Premier League, 53 pts, 14W-11D-13L from 38 games, recent form DDLWL.