Wilson scores on full debut as Brentford hit Birmingham for six

Callum Wilson netted just six minutes into his full debut, and captain Nathan Collins contributed two headers as Brentford overwhelmed Championship side Birmingham with a 6-1 victory.

The 34-year-old Wilson, who joined on a free transfer after West Ham's relegation, capitalized on his first opportunity with a precise finish that took a deflection off defender Dael Fry, who experienced a forgettable debut.

Brentford's Premier League caliber was evident throughout the match. Although Birmingham's Demarai Gray equalized just before the half-hour mark, their level status lasted only seven minutes.

Defensive lapses allowed Aaron Hickey and Collins to score in quick succession, effectively sealing the match before halftime. Mikkel Damsgaard extended the lead from a counter-attack to make it four.

Igor Thiago's skillful close-range finish prompted fans to depart early, causing them to miss Collins' second header of the game.

The Bees, who reached the quarter-finals last season, had not defeated Birmingham in their previous six encounters, the last being a goalless draw over five years ago in the Championship. Brentford has since progressed to greater achievements, a path their ambitious hosts now aspire to follow.

Birmingham's primary objective remains promotion. Following two league draws to start the season, manager Chris Davies made six changes, including goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, Fry, and Argentinian striker Luis Vazquez.

However, the gap in quality compared to a Premier League squad was apparent. Keith Andrews retained only three players from the team that demolished Tottenham. Three of his new signings scored, and another, Yehor Yarmoliuk, dominated the midfield before being forced off with an injury.

Davies aims to achieve the club's aspirations by playing their way out of the Championship, but this proved to be their downfall even before they could establish a foothold in the game, as they fell victim to Brentford's high press following a short goal kick.

Paik Seung-ho was slow to react to the loose ball, allowing Yarmoliuk to set up Wilson, who fired home first-time from the edge of the area with the aid of a deflection.

But a miscontrolled touch by Jannik Schuster saw the center-back booked for bringing down Vazquez. From Paik's short free-kick, Gray drilled a deflected shot through a crowd of players.

This was a brief moment of celebration on an otherwise humbling night. A failure to deal with Vitaly Janelt's chip and Wilson's strength allowed Hickey to fire home an angled shot.

Collins outjumped Fry to head in a simple header from Jaidon Anthony's cross. A ruthless Brentford side continued to press, and after bringing on players like Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade, and Mamadou Sangare, they added three more goals in the second half.