Bees keeper Richard Lee has revealed the real secret behind his shoot-out heroics - hypnotherapy.

The 28-year-old saved Matt Spring’s spot-kick as Brentford edged past Leyton Orient on Tuesday and in to the next round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on penalties.

It came a fortnight after Lee was the hero as boss Andy Scott’s men beat Premier League Everton in the Carling Cup via the same method.

The former Watford man has been frustrated by a lack of League One first-team opportunities since suffering a nightmare start to his Bees career against Fulham and Staines Town in pre-season.

But he is yet to taste defeat in the cup competitions and he believes that is down to one man - Oxford-based hypnotherapist Dave Sabat.

“My game was in order, but for whatever reason I was struggling mentally,” he said.

“It got to a stage where I was being booed off at Staines by kids so I was pretty low. I was surfing the net at 4am after that game and found a hypnotherapist who looked like he could help and I’ve been working with Dave ever since.

“I’m pretty open minded about these sort of things and believe it is the little one per cents that make a big difference in the game these days.

“I’ve had four sessions with him before each game I’ve played. We’ve not been beaten, I’ve only conceded two goals and we’ve won two penalty shoot-outs.”

Lee had been signed as Brentford’s new number one in the summer but has played second fiddle to Ben Hamer, Alex McCarthy and Simon Moore in League One this term.

Although he says the experience of being a long-term number two at Vicarage Road has helped him, he admits he will be considering his options if circumstances don’t change.

“I'm confused by the situation; I'm playing the best football of my life and find myself on the bench in League One,” he added.

“At the risk of sounding arrogant I see myself as a keeper who could perform well in the Premiership - as I have done already.

“Playing the odd game when needed isn’t easy - it is better to have a run of games to keep your own game together - but at least I’m used to it.

“I’m not thinking about my future while we are still in the cups. I’ll keep working hard and if things don’t work out after that then we’ll see.”