Brentford 3-1 Luton: Neal Maupay, Ben Mee and Shandon Baptiste are all on the scoresheet as Thomas Frank’s side move into the top half of the table despite Jacob Brown’s effort

On a bitterly cold day in west London, it was an afternoon for home comforts as Brentford returned to winning ways against Luton to stay in the top half of the table.

Two goals in seven minutes from Neal Maupay and Ben Mee after the break gave Thomas Frank’s men the advantage and despite Jacob Brown pulling one back for Luton with 14 minutes to go, Shandon Baptiste secured the three points.

‘I’m very pleased. I asked for focus, discipline and mentality and the players gave it,’ said Frank.

Fourteen years ago, this was a League Two fixture and from the outset it was clear which side had been in the Premier League longer as Brentford dominated and Luton failed to touch the ball in the opposition box in the first half.

The visitors defended well in the first half but the loss of their captain Tom Lockyer at the break proved crucial.

Maupay showed good composure to put Brentford ahead in the Premier League clash

Defender Ben Mee was also on the scoresheet for Brentford in their game against Luton

Mee managed to double Brentford’s lead as he scored in the 56th minute of the game

‘We’re disappointed but Brentford deserved to win. We gave away a few early Christmas presents in the second half,’ said Luton boss Rob Edwards

Frank initially made one change from the team that lost to Arsenal with Maupay back in the lineup to replace Saman Ghoddos as Brentford shifted from a 5-3-2 to a 4-3-3.

But when Kristoffer Ajer injured his foot in the warmup, he was forced to bring Ghoddos back into the eleven.

For Luton, Edwards made two changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace with Alfie Doughty missing out after suffering a hip injury midweek and Andros Townsend benched as Issa Kabore and Tahith Chong came in.

The Brentford players are delighted after Mee’s goal put them 2-0 in front against Luton

Jacob Brown scored for Luton to reduce the deficit but Brentford still managed to prevail

Brown is congratulated by team-mate Andros Townsend after he found the net

The first shot of the game came 27 minutes in and when Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski was booked for time-wasting in the 37th minute, it told the story of a dire first half.

Despite having just 23 per cent of possession in the first half, Edwards would have been impressed with the way his team’s structure limited Brentford’s chances to efforts from outside the box.

Though he was forced to make a change at the break when Lockyer went down injured.

Luton’s concerns deepened just four minutes into the second half when Brentford made the deserved breakthrough.

Chong gave away the ball cheaply and Yoanne Wissa crossed the ball into Ben Mee, whose scuffed effort hit Amari’i Bell but Maupay was on hand to finish the rebound.

Substitute Shandon Baptiste was on target as he restored Brentford’s two-goal advantage

Brentford manager Thomas Frank saw his team move into the top half of the table

Frank Onyeka of Brentford (left) attempts to get away from Luton’s Teden Mengi (right)

Seven minutes later, Mee was involved again as he met Mbuemo’s cross with a towering header that deflected in off Carlton Morris.

With a two-goal deficit, Luton had to let loose and Ross Barkley led a brilliant counter before playing in Brown, who cut inside and finished past Mark Flecken to set up a nervy finish but the two substitutes, Keane Lewis-Potter and Baptiste combined to restore Brentford’s two-goal advantage.

Lewis-Potter did brilliantly to work an opening and Baptiste was on hand to finish the job off.

After two defeats on the trot, it was a welcome three points for Frank and co.