IT PROBABLY wasn't what Brentford boss Uwe Rosler had in mind when he rested his first XI for Tuesday's Capital One Cup hammering at Derby County.

Having received stick in some quarters for saving his first team for more important league matters, a home game against League One whipping boys Carlisle would surely be a formality – or would it?

Carlisle arrived in no mood to be rolled over, and a snooze-fest of a first half in which they made their spoiling tactics clear from the outset produced just a single shot on target when Sam Saunders played a one-two with Clayton Donaldson on the left hand edge of the area and put in Scott Barron, whose effort was saved.

Before that, Adam Forshaw justed fails to get on the end of a lovely flick from Donaldson inside the Carlisle area and Farid El Alagui headed Alan McCormack's cross from the right just wide.

As the half drew to a close, Harlee Dean touches Saunders' free-kick wide and a Donaldson header from a Saunders cross was just off target, but the lack of goalmouth action saw Rosler hook El Alagui for Will Grigg at half time.

The former Walsall striker put a header from Shaleum Logan's cross straight at visiting keeper Mark Gillespie with his first chance, while at the other end, David Button tipped over superbly after Lee Miller got the deftest of touches to Matty Robson's free-kick.

Things looked to have opened up for Grigg soon after after Donaldson's flick appeared to put him in the clear, but Danny Livesey got back with a timely challenge, while Forshaw tested Gillespie with a 30 yard belter.

However, straight down the other end, Tony Craig received a straight red for bringing down David Amoo when last man, forcing the Bees into playing the last 28 minutes with 10 men. However, instead of bringing on Kevin O'Connor, Rosler moved McCormack to centre-back and reverted to a straight 4-4-2, with Jake Reeves replacing Saunders.

With 11 minutes left, Brentford finally thought they had the breakthrough when sub Toumani Diagouraga scrambled the ball home after Dean had created confusion in the Carlisle box following a corner, but the referee became the most unpopular man inside Griffin Park when he gave a free- kick instead of a goal.

The Bees came close again two minutes later when Logan's cross from the right fell perfectly for Donaldson, whose shot was blocked superbly by Livesey, but that was as good as it got in a frustrating afternoon for Rosler's men.

BEES: Button, Logan, Dean, Craig, Barron, Forshaw, McCormack, Saville (Diagouraga 74), Donaldson, El Alagui (Grigg 45), Saunders (Reeves 66). Subs not used: Bonham, O'Connor, Dallas, Fillo

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