Brentford succeed where Man United so dismally failed as Bees thrash Grimsby 5-0 to reach Carabao Cup quarter-finals - as minnows' journey ends after they inflicted humiliation on Ruben Amorim

The second strike of lightning never afraid. They had come in droves, a black-and-white army marching through the tight streets, hoping for a miracle but it was all too much.

Grimsby Town had captured the hearts of neutrals, thanks to their heroics against Manchester United in August, and left locals hoping the League Cup’s quarter-finals would include their team’s name for the first time since 1985.

Football, though, only provides romance only fleetingly. Here was a sobering lesson, a ruthless dismantling at the hands of an established and progressive Premier League side that – do not forget – have grand ambitions of their own.

Brentford were never going to misjudge the potential for a mishap against League Two opposition and they treated this assignment with a total professionalism. They gave Grimsby maximum respect with they approached the contest but they also gave them a shellacking for good measure.

In the end, there were five unanswered goals and it was the kind of display that left you thinking the prospect of Brentford going deep in this competition – they have only been in the semi-finals once, in 2021 – is not beyond the realms of possibility.

When United were here in August, caught in a storm and frozen in front of the headlights, you couldn’t tell there was difference in the two teams on the pitch, such was the fluency and fearlessness with which Grimsby played.

With all due respect, the difference this time was obvious. The home crowd nodded in agreement, as they swapped stories at half-time, that the speed and precision with which Brentford attacked was like nothing they had seen in these parts for many years.

That’s what made this such an enjoyable experience. Yes, there was disappointment for Grimsby but there was honesty and admiration, the sense that this was a treat to see artistic midfielders such as Fabio Carvalho and Matthias Jensen pulling the strings.

There was, inevitably, an early barrage and one little flicker, when Frank Onyeka got the ball caught in his feet and pushed it unnecessarily out of play. The decibels raised in the old, wooden stands accordingly and Keith Andrews, Brentford’s head coach, winced as the corner came in.

Really, however, that was as uncomfortable as it got for Andrews, who continues to make a positive impression. His opposite number, David Artell, couldn’t have been more complimentary about the work he has done and it was easy to see why.

Everything about Brentford was sound: the speed of their passing, the way they moved up field, the shape they kept when out of possession. Grimsby would have loved to have bustled them up but it was like a class above boxer, put a hand on his opponents and watching him throw aimless punches.

Jensen, one of nine changes from the team that had beaten Liverpool 3-2 on Saturday, got things up and running for Brentford, sweeping in a drive from 18 yards that was always drifting away from Grimsby keeper Christy Pym.

The lead was soon doubled when Kane Lewis-Potter arrived at the back post to head in a cross from Reiss Nelson and the on-loan Arsenal winger marked his debut with a goal of his own to end the tie just before half-time. Andrews knew it, clenching his fists and shouting “Yes!” as the ball nestled.

Would they let up? Not a bit of it. Carvalho confidently dispatched a 53rd minute penalty before substitute Nathan Collins completed the rout in the 75th minute with another header, this time from a corner.

Grimsby were beaten but, as Artell had said before hand, they did not lose their pride. Brentford can look forward, potentially to a trip to Wembley, from here. The hosts will drop back to reality and play Ebbsfleet on Saturday.