A training ground bust-up with Andy Scott could yet prove to be the key to Karleigh Osborne landing a new Brentford contract come the summer and solving his side’s defensive crisis.

The 22-year-old was drafted in to Saturday’s starting line-up after a suspension for Alan Bennett and recurrence of Mark Phillips persistent knee problem left a gaping hole in the back four.

Osborne incurred his manager’s wrath at Jersey Road on Thursday before going on to help boss Scott’s men to a 1-0 win at struggling Stockport County thanks to striker Charlie MacDonald’s 11th goal of the season at Edgeley Park at the weekend.

The Griffin Park chief, who had feared he would have to dip into the loan market again to plug gaps at the back left by Tommy Smith’s return to Ipswich Town, is hunting at least 11 signatures in the summer to beef-up his resources.

And he conceded the young centre back - who made his Bees debut as 17-year-old but is out of contract in the summer - could yet feature in his plans next year should he find the consistency he requires over the League One run-in.

“There’s never been any doubt that Karleigh can do it in one or two game spells. The question I’ve asked of him several times is, can he do it consistently over a long spell of games?” he said.

“We had a little bit of a flair up with him on Thursday in training and to react like that is fantastic and testimony to him.

“I can’t say it was great man-management skills because it might have worked for him or it might not.

“Ever since I’ve been manager we’ve trained at a tempo and we wanted to win training games. Whatever it might be, we do it right and do it properly.

“There were a couple of things that happened on Thursday and he wasn’t the only one. I just felt we were getting a little bit complacent in training. If we start doing that we’ll take it into the game. Karleigh was on the end of my forked tongue.

“He has a chance to stake a place for next season. It may be that he gets his opportunity to do that now due to the injuries and suspensions.”