Half-time: Brentford 1 MK Dons 0

Lasse Vibe’s sixth goal of the season put Brentford ahead at the break in Dean Smith’s first game in charge.

The new head coach saw his initial plans derailed slightly when Alan McCormack pulled out in the warm-up and Sergi Canos came in for only the second start of his loan spell from Liverpool.

And it took the Bees a little time to settle, with Josh Murphy firing wide from an angle and Dean Bowditch shooting straight at home keeper David Button.

But on 20 minutes, Brentford showed Smith their counter-attacking potential with a wonderfully worked goal.

Alan Judge began the move with a neat turn and sprint from halfway before releasing Jake Bidwell, whose cross was headed home by Vibe.

After that, the Bees dominated and should have added to their lead before half-time.

Judge wasted a good one-on-one chance as Dons keeper David Martin saved and he also struck the bar with a free-kick, while Antony Kay cleared Konstantin Kerschbaumer’s follow-up off the line.

And on 33 minutes, a ball dropped to Canos, as the Dons looked decidedly uneasy at the back, but he too hit the woodwork.

Brentford: Button; Yennaris, Tarkowski, O’Connell, Bidwell; Kerschbaumer, Diagouraga; Woods, Canos, Judge; Vibe.
Subs: Bonham, Barbet, McEachran, Saunders, Gogia, Jota, Hofmann.

MK Dons: Martin; Spence, McFadzean, Kay, Lewington; Potter, Poyet; Baker, Bowditch, Murphy; Maynard.
Subs: Cropper, Hodson, Benavente, Carruthers, Powell, Hall, Gallagher.