Brentford’s excellent run of form away from home was brought to an end with this 3-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court on Monday.

Despite mounting a great comeback during an at times pulsating second half, the Bees were second best to their opponents, who moved the ball with pace and skill and were deserved winners of a thoroughly entertaining game.

After being clearly second best during the first half, Brentford were a changed side after the break, but after Charlie MacDonald missed a penalty which would have restored parity, the Cherries pulled away.

Despite the defeat, Bees’ boss Andy Scott saw plenty of positives: “It’s a blip. We’ve been on a fantastic run. I think everyone saw that if we had got a point of out if nobody would have begrudged us it. Football has a way of kicking you in the teeth sometimes but we’ll bounce back.”

Scott made two changes, with Marcus Bean returning from suspension in place of the injured Sam Wood and Nicky Forster being rewarded for his cameo on Saturday, at Robbie Simpson’s expense.

During the opening exchanges Marc Pugh looked lively for the Cherries, creating just enough space inside the box to get off a shot that was held by Richard Lee.

Bournemouth continued to threaten and after Lee did well to tip Anton Robinson’s fierce shot over the bar, they took the lead from the resulting corner when Jason Pearce headed the ball goal-wards and it was nodded home by Liam Feeney from close range.

As the Bees looked to get back into the game, Kevin O’Connor’s corner from the right was headed over by Gary Alexander.

Royce Wiggins was given space to break down the left but his cross was cut out for a corner by Stephen Wright. From the corner the ball was cleverly dummied to set up Adam Smith, but he fired over the bar.

In first half stoppage time Alexander wasted a golden chance to equalise when Forster broke down the right and his low cross left the Bees striker facing an open goal, but he somehow contrived to fire over the bar.

Early in the second half Bournemouth again broke quickly, this time Wiggins firing across the six yard box from the left hand byline.

Brentford eventually found their feet and after an attack down the left was foiled in the box, they broke quickly again when Weston released MacDonald, who tangled with Pearce as he attempted to take the ball round him inside the box. Much to the Brentford players’ consternation, referee Linington waved away their penalty claims.

As the Bees continued to press, Forster’s cross from the right saw MacDonald’s cushioned header superbly turned behind by Shwan Jalal in the Cherries’ goal.

Yet they drew level almost immediately when Forster’s shot from the right was deflected into his own net by Lee Bradbury.

Bradbury almost made amends at the other end when his shot from a corner rattled Lee’s crossbar.

Bournemouth re-took the lead shortly after when Feeney’s cross from the left was fired home by Marvin Bartley.

Minutes later Brentford should have draw level after they were awarded a penalty for hand ball by Shaun Cooper, but MacDonald’s shot was saved by Jalal as he dived to his right.

Jalal was kept busy when he was forced to turn Craig Woodman’s 35 yard free kick behind for a corner.

The Cherries sealed the win when Feeney once again broke down the left and cross for substitute Steve Fletcher to slam the ball past Lee.

Brentford: Lee; Wright, Legge, Osborne, Woodman; Bean (sub Spillane h/t), Diagouraga (sub Weston 37), O’Connor, Forster (sub Simpson 86); MacDonald, Alexander

Subs: Hamer, Balkestein, McCracken, Blake

Attendance: 6877 (941 Bees)

Man of the Match: Craig Woodman

Goals: Bradbury (og) 65