Charlie MacDonald put the hosts ahead fifteen minutes into the first half and despite a few near misses, Aidy Boothroyd's U's couldn't get back on level terms before the break.

The second half saw the U's huff and puff but they failed to put pressure on the Brentford defence and the hosts looked comfortable in holding onto their lead.

U's boss Boothroyd made three changes to his starting line up, despite the U's beating Hereford at the weekend.

Clive Platt came in for Steven Gillespie, David Fox returned to replace Kem Izzet and Simon Hackney made way for Anthony Wordsworth.

It was the home team who got off to the best start and a scramble in the U's box was eventually cleared before a shot could reach Williams.

Clive Platt had a sight on goal six minutes in, but could only find the hands of the home keeper. Two minutes later, MacDonald gave the U's a warning when he turned well and shot narrowly wide of the far post.

At the other end, John-Joe O'Toole had a shot blockedand Marc Tierney's rebound shot was well saved. As the U's kept the pressure on, Anthony Wordsworth had another shot blocked after Kayode Odejayi held the ball up well.

After quarter of an hour though, the home side took the lead when Charlie MacDonald headed home after good work from Bostock.

It looked like the danger was cleared when Reid denied Bostock but the right winger whipped a cross in and MacDonald stooped to head low past Williams.

The goal sparked the U's into life and O'Toole and Wordsworth were denied by good defending as Platt and Odejayi were putting pressure on the Brentford centre halves.

Kevin Lisbie then got onto a clever lobbed pass from Odejayi but was denied twice, his first shot blocked and then his rebound kicked away by the home keeper.

Halfway through the half, David Fox found Odejayi and the loanee was also denied as the U's looked for a way back into the game.

Platt was the next to have a sight on goal but was unlucky at the near post as he just failed to reach a drilled cross from Lisbie.

You could be forgiven for thinking it was a U's home game as they put pressure on the hosts but Brentford were looking very dangerous on the break, with Strevens and MacDonald working hard to upset the U's back four.

The half ended after a minute's injury time and Aidy Boothrod would have been encouraging his side to continue pressing forward but asking his defenders to concentrate fully when possession was lost.

The second forty-five minutes started with the U's pushing forward but their early efforts were well wide of the target, Wordsworth and O'Toole the culprits from distance.

O'Toole did go closer though eleven minutes after the break but his angled effort was well saved and the resultant corner kick came to nothing.

Two minutes later, A mistake by the home keeper led to his clearance only reaching David Fox but the midfielder's effort fell agonisingly wide of the post with the keeper scrambling across his goal from a wide position.

The U's last chance to get a point fell to substitute Steven Gillespie in injury time but his left foot shot from just outside the box was pushed wide by the keeper.