Ian Carlo Poveda’s six minute hat-trick saw Brentford come from behind to end Plymouth Argyle’s 100% record at this year’s Dale Farm Milk Cup.

Argyle took an early lead as Aaron Goulty tapped home after Luke Jephcott’s shot had come back off the face of the post but Brentford roared back in the second-half.

Poveda grabbed himself the match-ball with two clinical strikes either side of a well-taken penalty as Brentford made it back-to-back wins at the prestigious Youth Football Tournament in Northern Ireland.

Monday’s defeat to County Down had left The Bees playing catch-up and Azeez Akinbolu’s side knew they needed a win to have any hope of a high finish.

Instead it was Argyle who started strongly in front of a sizeable crowd at a bright and breezy Parker Avenue on the seafront in Portrush, as Harry Downing’s header from a Tom Purrington cross forced a smart save from Marco Tavares.

It wasn’t long before Aaron Cusack’s side got themselves in front as Jephcott, who scored both goals in their 2-1 win over Chilean side Colina on Tuesday, beat the offside trap and, when his angled shot bounced off the post, Goulty was on hand to apply the simplest of finishes.

A bad start got even worse for The Bees as Sam Coles, who scored the late winner against Strikers on Tuesday, was injured colliding with the post trying to prevent the goal and had to be substituted.

Despite the difficult opening to the game Brentford responded well.

Danilson Gomez Tavares saw a shot tipped over from range while Harry Francis tested the handling of Max Childs.

Brentford were looking lively going forward with Francis and Taymar Fleary working well either side of Poveda.

Danilson shot over from 10 yards following good play by Francis before the latter should have done much better as he broke into the box onto to pull his shot wide from close range.

Plymouth were being penned back inside their own half but, in Jephcott, had a willing runner up front to give their defence a breather.

The powerful lone-striker was denied by Tavares after breaking in behind and his running set up a chance as Downing shot straight at Tavares from long range.

The Bees could have levelled on the stroke of half-time but Fleary shot tamely at Childs when well placed.

With 30 minutes remaining to save their Milk Cup campaign Danilson was replaced by Tahir and that proved to be an inspired change.

Poveda moved higher to play through the middle while Tahir occupied a role wide on the left-hand side and it took just eight minutes for that combination to unlock the Plymouth defence.

Tahir burst into the Argyle half and slid in Poveda who kept his cool to roll across Childs and into the bottom corner.

Buoyed by that goal Brentford piled forward and were rewarded three minutes later as Tahir’s weaving run was brought to an abrupt end by an Argyle defender and Poveda dispatched the penalty with ease.

The pair were terrorising the Plymouth defence and they linked up again midway through the half to give Brentford breathing room -  Francis picked up a poor kick out from Childs and when Tahir’s shot was half blocked Poveda was on hand to force the ball over the line.

A two-goal cushion meant that The Bees needed one more goal to overtake Plymouth in the race for qualification and the chances kept on coming with Tahir and Poveda at the heart of it all.

Tahir had a half-blocked effort saved by Childs before the wide-midfielder dragged a shot wide after breaking into the box.

The bar came to Plymouth’s rescue moments later as Tahir let fly from 20 yards and cannoned his shot off the frame of the goal.

As the minutes ticked down Plymouth dropped deeper and deeper trying to hold out for the final whistle but they couldn’t stop Brentford creating chances.

Childs threw himself to his right to turn a wicked Poveda free-kick behind for a corner, Francis cut inside but could only shoot over and right at the death Childs maintained Plymouth’s position above Brentford in the league standings as he once again denied Francis from close range.

The final whistle eventually sounded meaning both sides have an anxious wait to see which finals competition they will qualify for.