Brentford B secured the club's first-ever Premier League Cup trophy in their maiden season in the competition with a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers U21s. 

The Bees were able to call on the riches of the club's one-time record transfer as a side consisting of Kristoffer Ajer cruised to victory at the Gtech Community Stadium, despite a scare late on. 

Ryan Trevitt and Nathan Young-Coombes gave Neil MacFarlane's side a comfortable first-half lead in a very wet west London. Blackburn never gave up and pulled one back in the 87th-minute through substitute Zak Gilensen, but it was ultimately not enough to stop Brentford from lifting the cup in front of a home crowd. 

Story of the game 

Neil MacFarlane did not hold back in his line-up selection as he continued to make full use of Kristoffer Ajer's availability, starting him alongside Daniel Oyegoke and Tristan Crama in a back three, in front of Matthew Cox; Fin Stevens and Val Adedokun occupied the wing-back positions next to a pivot of Roy Syla and Ryan Trevitt in midfield; while Nathan Young-Coombes lead the line with Michael Olakigbe and Alex Gilbert. 

Jordan Eastham lined up in goal for Blackburn with a back four of Leo Duru on the right, Jake Batty on the left, and a centre-back pairing of Ashley Phillips and Patrick Gamble. Jake Garrett and Kristi Montgomery made up the midfield pivot behind Harley O'Grady, with Harry Leonard supported up front by Georgie Gent and Sam Burns. 

The opening stages of the game proved difficult for both sets of players as torrential rain led to water build-up on the pitch. With neither side able to move the ball freely, it became a fiercely-contested fixture with everyone making full use of the wet surface to make sliding tackles. 

It was an even contest with both sides amounting to only half-chances. Trevitt came close in the opening ten minutes after a showcase of excellent footwork in the area to open up a shooting opportunity that was blocked; while at the other end, Burns had a shot blocked by Crama in the 18th-minute after capitalising on Syla's slip as the midfielder received the ball from Cox. 

In the 31st-minute, after a period of sustained possession, the Bees were rewarded for their dominance through a well-executed corner routine. Gilbert fired the set-piece along the ground towards the penalty spot, which was met by a first-time strike from Trevitt to direct the ball into the bottom left corner. 

Brentford B then went close to doubling their lead moments later, with Gilbert orchestrating the play again, this time linking up with Young-Coombes, who latched onto the 21-year-old's lofted pass into the area, but he was unable to direct his shot under the bar. Gilbert tried his luck soon after with a left-footed strike that was well-held by Eastham. 

Gilbert continued his stronghold on the game as MacFarlane's side doubled their lead. His delightful threaded pass into the path of Trevitt did the hard work, allowing the 20-year-old to pull the ball back to Young-Coombes outside the six-yard box. The centre-forwards strike first met the bar, before hitting the post, then finally making its way across the line.  

The second half was of a considerably lower tempo than the first as the rain eased up, with Blackburn finding it difficult to break Brentford down. Rovers had a number of half-chances and were able to get into good areas, but were ultimately unable to test Cox in goal. 

Against the run of play, Brentford came close to making it three. Again, Gilbert was involved as he put Young-Coombes in behind Blackburn's defence - the centre-forward took on his man in the area and fired a right-footed shot from a tight angle which was tipped onto the post by Eastham on the hour mark. 

In a half of little entertainment, Crama produced a moment of magic that almost lead to a sensational goal. Picking up the ball deep in Brentford's half, the centre-back skipped past two forwards and drove towards Blackburn's area, he evaded the challenge of one more before firing a tired shot that dribbled past the left of Eastham's post. 

Blackburn continued to look for a way back into the fixture but Brentford were proving too resolute, with Ajer and Crama proving to be a formidable pairing. Half-time substitute Zak Gilsenan tried his luck with a half-volley from outside of the area but drilled it well wide of Cox's post in the 77th-minute.  

Blackburn's persistence was rewarded with three minutes left as a loose ball fell kindly to Gilsensen just outside the six-yard box, which he tucked past Cox unopposed to set up an exciting final few minutes of the match. 

Tempers began to flair late on as Stevens prevented Eastham from starting a counter-attack, with the goalkeeper throwing an elbow towards the right-back. Substitute Max Dickov reacted negatively to this, leading to a number of players getting involved. 

Blackburn made a late push for an equaliser with five minutes added on at the end of the game but Brentford B held on to secure victory. 

Player of the match - Alex Gilbert

It was a tale of two halves as Brentford B dominated and flourished in the first with Gilbert orchestrating the game, but found themselves on the back football for most of the second as Blackburn persisted in their search for a route back in the game. 

The captain lead by example and was the standout player on the night. He had a huge influence in both goals, setting up Trevitt from a corner before threading the midfielder into a position to set up Young-Coombes for the Bees' second of the game. 

While being an entertainer in possession and a constant threat on the ball, it was his defensive contribution that caught the eye as he showed a willingness to get stuck in with the game still in the balance. 

A notable mention goes to Crama, who produced a colossal performance at the back alongside Ajer and was a huge factor in Brentford's success on the night.