Braces from Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay helped see The Bees to an emphatic win over the Blues at Griffin Park.
The teams came into this one needing the points for differing reasons, Brentford were still chasing a play off spot whilst Birmingham needed to try and pull away from the relegation places down at the foot of the table.
The Bees started brightly and on three minutes saw a Maupay shot blocked, before the ball was worked back to him but he could only place wide, and then three minutes later Sawyers could only send an effort high and wide after a poor clerance from Dean, who was back at Griffin Park for the first time after leaving the Bees for Brum.
On ten minutes a poor header from Bramall saw Maupay with a chance, with his volley being deflected wide, before Birmingham broke downfield however Gardner's effort went miles over. And then two minutes later Mokotjo saw an effort blocked by the visiting defence before Sawyer flashed in a low cross which Maupay steered just wide.
The visitors then had a spell and on 16 minutes saw Ndoye go past Egen before sending a shot low across the face of goal, and then a minute later Gallagher got in behind the Brentford backline but saw his effort saved by Bentley to prevent the visitors from taking the lead.
But on the half hour mark the deadlock was broken, and it was the hosts who found the net, when Watkins fired an effort at goal from twenty five yards out and keeper Stockdale allowed the ball to squirm through his grasp and into the corner of the net, and then right on half time The Bees doubled their lead when after Maupay had robbed Lowe, he drove towards the box and slipped in Florian Jozefzoon who took a touch before slotting home.
The hosts had really taken control now and almost added a third when a Watkins drive towards goal was blocked by Roberts, however the hosts went into the break two goals to the good.
Half Time Brentford 2 Birmingham City 0
The Blues had two massive chances to get back into the contest in the opening three minutes of the second period, firstly when Gallagher fired over from eight yards out with only Bentley to beat, and then secondly when Adams also fired over from a decent position, and if either of those had gone in it could of been a different game.
However Brentford were soon back on the front foot and a lovely interchange from Maupay and Watkins saw the former shoot from twenty yards out but Stockdale was equal to it, however five minutes into the half the Bees did make it three when Dalsgaard got in down the right after a defensive error, and his cross found Maupay who tapped home from close range.
And it got even worse for the visitors and keeper Stockdale moments later when the keeper fumbled the ball and lost it to Watkins, and he played the ball back to Maupay who fired in off the crossbar from fifteen yards out and the hosts were buzzing to say the least, and the visitors were all at sea.
On the hour mark the hosts almost made it five when Watkins forced two good saves out of Stockdale, and then three minutes later Mokotjo fed Watkins who was only thwarted by a last ditch tackle from Bramall, before the corner saw Jozefzoon end up with the ball and he curled an effort just wide. It was really now how many the hosts could end up with here.
Watkins then scuffed wide in the 66th minute before Yoann Barbet saw two efforts on goal blocked before Alan Judge saw an effort go over the bar from fifteen yards, and then two minutes later Watkins fed Jozefzoon and he was only denied by a flying save from Stockdale.
However the Bees did eventually find a fifth when Watkins grabbed his second of the game by stooping to head Jozefzoon's pinpoint cross into the corner of the net after another move which carved the Birmingham defence to shreds.
The Bees almost netted a sixth in stoppage time when a wicked cross from Judge saw Barbet flick an effort inches wide of the post, before the Blues so nearly grabbed a consolation but Gallagher saw his point blank header brilliantly saved by Bentley before Adams fired the rebound wide.
What a night it had been for the hosts though, who took the points in style and kept them in touching distance of the playoffs. As for Birmingham, they are now just a point above the dropzone and left them with plenty to think about moving forward from here.
Full Time Brentford 5 Birmingham City 0
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