Goals from new signing Bruno Andrade and skipper Conor Clifford gave Boreham Wood a winning start to pre-season with Championship side Brentford defeated 2-1.

Wood boss Luke Garrard named a different XI for each half with nine trialists on show for the hosts, as well as all of his five summer additions.

Former Brighton & Hove Albion keeper Grant Smith, ex-Aldershot Town defender Sam Hatton and one-time Arsenal youngster Uchechi all started. Former Wood forward Jordan Chiedozie, who rejected the club’s re-engagement offer earlier in the summer, was also in the starting XI.

In the second half Wood introduced Jaydon Gibbs, brother of Arsenal’s Kieran, former Welling United duo Luis Morrison and Kadell Daniel, ex-Queens Park Rangers winger Jordon Gibbons, former Bishop's Stortford defender Luis Morrison and striker Ashan Holgate, most recently at Chippenham Town.

Championship side Brentford had the game’s first chance after nine minutes and it took a fine stop from trialist keeper Smith to keep the scores level. Bees defender Tom Field crossed from the left for Bradley Clayton. The forward screwed his volley into the floor and Smith was able to parry the ball away.

Clayton went close again a couple of minutes later. Konstantin Kerschbaumer floated a ball in from the left-hand side and another trialist, left-back Hatton, allowed the Bees forward to get the wrong side of him. Fortunately for Wood, Clayton could only hook wide of the post from a good position.

Wood had yet to test Bees keeper Jack Bonham but he was picking the ball out of his net after 19 minutes. A ball forward to trialist Uchechi was laid-off nicely for Andrade who sprung from nowhere before whipping beyond Bonham first time and into the far corner.

The hosts might have had a second on the half-hour mark. Hatton cleared under pressure and his raking ball forward released former Hemel Hempstead Town striker Morgan Ferrier. However, a poor first touch left him with work to do and with a lack of support he could only win a corner.

Trailing 1-0, Dean Smith’s side stepped it up a gear and Wood had Smith to thank for preserving their lead. First he got down well to block Yoann Barbet’s deflected effort from 30 yards.

Better was to come when John Egan met a Kerschbaumer corner with a powerful diving header which Smith somehow blocked low to his right. Egan directed another header towards goal a few moments later with Smith again equal.

The half drew to a close with only one blot on the Boreham Wood copybook – an injury to Hatton just before half-time forcing the experienced defender off.

Brentford started the second half with renewed urgency and went close ten minutes after the restart. Substitutes Scott Hogan and Andy Gogia combined with the latter seeing his volley at the back post fumbled wide by Smith.

Three minutes later Wood doubled their lead from the penalty spot. Gogia and keeper Bonham were the guilty parties; the former’s header leaving the his keeper in no-man’s land. Wood substitute Daniel had latched onto the loose ball and Bonham brought him down.

Clifford took responsibility for the resulting penalty but Bonham atoned for his part in the penalty, diving low to his right to block. But the Bees keeper stood no chance with the rebound as Clifford rattled home from point-blank range.

Just after the hour Wood made a pre-planned substitution with 2015/16 Player of the Year James Russell replacing trialist Smith for a farewell appearance before linking up with former boss Ian Allinson at St Albans City.

Wood gradually dropped deeper as the game wore on with more men behind the ball. But Brentford struggled to find a way through. Jan Holldack whistled one effort over before Clayton, brought on for the former with 15 minutes remaining, also shot over Russell’s goal.

With a matter of minutes remaining Brentford's pressure paid off. Harlee Dean crossed from the left and Lewis MacLeod was on hand to cushion a header beyond Russell. The soon-to-be former Wood keeper had conceded the corner by miscuing an attempted clearance out of play from Joe Devera's ill-advised backpass.

Boreham Wood are back in action at Meadow Park tomorrow when former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam brings his Reading side to town.

Boreham Wood first half: Smith; Nunn, Paine, Stephens, Hatton (Coldicott-Stevens 44); Chiedozie, Ricketts, Moke, Andrade; Ferrier, Uchechi.

Boreham Wood second half: Smith (Russell 64); Gibbs, Devera, Morrison (Goodliffe), Woodards; Gibbons (Roberts 85), Clifford, Davis, Shakes, Daniels; Holgate.

Brentford first half: Bonham; Colin, Egan, Barbet, Field; Woods, Holldack, Kerschbuamer, Hofman; Clayton, Alves.

Brentford second half: Bonham; Clarke, Bjelland, Dean, Mepham, Gogia; McCormack; Holldack (Clayton 75), Westbrooke; MacLeod; Hogan (Alves 80).

Referee: David Rock.