It was Brentford who stole the show at Brunton Park this afternoon as the League Two champion Bees coasted to a 3-1 victory against Carlisle in their first game in League One. Cleveland Taylor headed wide for the hosts early on before Carl Cort had a volley easily held by Lenny Pidgeley for the visitors shortly afterwards. Brentford did find the net on 12 minutes though on the back of some poor home defending, Myles Weston left completely unmarked at the near-post to head into the net from a Sam Saunders corner.
Penalty appeals from Carlisle for an alleged foul on Danny Livesey were then waved away before referee Mark Haywood did point to the spot on 16 minutes when a cross in from Graham Kavanagh was handled by Saunders. Veteran left-back Ian Harte stepping up to slam the ball home beyond the reach of Derby-loanee goalkeeper Lewis Price. Carlisle then having a strong spell in the game as Danny Foster produced a fine block to deny Matty Robson, Harte headed wide, Alan Bennett blocked a Joe Anyinsah effort after he skipped past Mark Phillips and Livesey headed wide.
The visitors ended the half better and Saunders had a shot saved from long range and had another effort held by Pidgeley when he met a Weston cut back while Cort sent a header off target. Sam Wood then shooting wide for a buzzing Brentford outfit before Harte curled a free-kick well over the top at the other end. The woodwork saving the Bees right at the end of half though when Richard Keogh's header from a Kavanagh corner was diverted up onto the crossbar by Anyinsah.
Carlisle were still seemingly back in the dressing-room however when Brentford regained the lead two minutes after the break. Some poor home defending from a David Hunt long throw saw the ball eventually reach Weston who struck in a low 20-yard drive which went straight through Pidgeley's hands like a bar of soap. Carlisle again tried to fight back - Foster diverted a Harte free kick narrowly wide, Price saved at the feet of Anyinsah and Wood cleared a Scott Dobie effort off the line - but this time Brentford held firm.
And midway through the half they had the game won - a poor Pidgeley clearance fell to Wood and he shot from 20 yards, it deflected off Keogh and dribbled into the corner with the Carlisle stopper again appearing to be in a position to save. Dobie then forced Price into a save when he tried to curl one into the top corner, but it was Brentford who almost extended their lead when Weston broke from his own half. His cross was on a plate for Saunders to finish at the far post, but he missed his kick and it spun away through his legs.
Saunders missed another good chance when he ran from his own half and bore down on Pidgeley but as he tried to round the keeper he had the ball taken off his feet. Kavanagh then screwed a shot wide and then forced a save out of Price, Dobie couldn't reach a low Robson cross and David Raven and Brentford target Cleveland Taylor shot wide. Despite the pressure though Carlisle didn't really test Price and the Bees took the points back to west London.