Luke Norris headed the winner as Brentford’s Development Squad picked up another Under-21 Professional Development League Two South win.
The Bees beat an Ipswich Town team containing Aaron McLean and Jay Emmanuel Thomas 3-2 in a snowy Suffolk.
And it was no more than they deserved.
In sub-zero temperatures Brentford snapped in to almost every tackle, controlled the midfield for long periods and made the most of their attacking opportunities.
The Bees seemed to want it more than their hosts, fighting for every second ball and putting bodies on the line on a pitch covered in snow and in a match played for long periods in a blizzard.
The Bees went in at half time 2-1 up as Charlie Adams, fresh from making his First Team debut on Saturday in an npower League One against Carlisle United, and trialist Jack Uttridge scored either side of an Adeoye Yusuff goal.
Those three strikes came in a spell of no more than 150 seconds and looked as if they would decide the game.
But Norris headed in a Josh Clarke cross to give Brentford breathing space and ensure McLean’s goal was no more than consolation.
It was a testament to both teams that a decent spectacle was produced in terrible conditions.
It was not a day for slick passing and one-touch interchanges and Brentford were up for the battle.
Norris forced Michael Crowe in to an early save with a fierce shot before Jack Powell tested the goalkeeper with a bouncing effort.
Crowe was lucky to escape when he hit a clearance against Norris and the ball bounced back to him.
Brentford were having the better of the first half but Ipswich were able to create openings, befitting a team containing players who have featured in The Championship this season.
An early cross from Reece Brown, on loan at Ipswich from Manchester United, flew across the face of goal before McLean got a sight of goal and drilled a shot just past the far post.
Alfie Mawson blocked a fierce Emmanuel-Thomas shot before the defender played a back pass that McLean intercepted, he rounded James Bransgrove but was forced wide and when Byron Lawrence delivered the cross, Joshua Carson headed over.
Brentford went close at the other end just past the half hour – Adams had a shot blocked, Norris’ follow-up effort was kept out by Crowe with his feet and when the ball came back in, Clarke’s shot deflected wide.
The Bees went ahead in bizarre circumstances and started a spell of three goals in the blink of an eye.
The opener came when Clarke played a back pass that eluded Crowe and as the goalkeeper chased back towards his own goal, Adams slide in to force the ball over the line.
Ipswich equalised from the kick-off as Brentford couldn’t clear a ball forward, Carson crossed from the right and Adeoye Yusuff steered a shot in off the far post.
But then action still wasn’t over, the effervescent Adams escaped from left back Mings and left him on his knees, he cut the ball back to Powell, who fired in a shot that Uttridge turned in from close range.
Ipswich appealed for offside but Mings, who had not regained his footing was playing every onside on his knees on the dead ball line.
Ipswich tried to find a goal before the break – an Emmanuel-Thomas shot hit Mawson and looped just wide before McLean missed the target with a header.
And they made a chance at the break in an attempt to wrestle control.
But the game continued in a similar fashion, Brentford holding a measure of control in worsening conditions.
Aaron Pierre fired wide on the turn when a corner was half cleared and Crowe made a fine full stretch save to deny Norris before a Mawson cross-cum-shot was scrambled away.
Mings, who was probably Ipswich’s best attacking outlet, tried to create something with a run down the left but fizzed a cross along the six-yard box before Emmanuel-Thomas fired well over and Bransgrove saved a Gunnar Thorsteinsson shot.
McLean tried to follow-up that save and level it up but was flagged offside.
Crowe saved a Will Ekong shot and Ipswich scrambled away when Josh Rees darted in to the penalty area but Brentford did extend their lead with 20 minutes remaining.
Clarke teased an opening on the right and crossed; Norris rose highest and powered a header in to the corner of the net for his ninth goal in his last 11 Professional Development League matches.
The Bees could have made it safe when Adams intercepted a poor Mawete Nkunga back pass and rounded Crowe but he was forced wide and neither Norris nor Rees could force the ball home when it came in.
Ipswich pulled one back when McLean escaped from Brentford’s defence for once, latching on to a Thorsteinsson pass and slotting under Bransgrove.
The Bees had to be on their mettle for their final 13 minutes but were determined not to let it slip.
Bransgrove saved a long range effort from Kyle Hammond and then held a cross from the same man while McLean had a pair of shots blocked.
Pierre could have sealed it when he met an Adams corner 12 yards out but he headed wide.
It proved not to matter though and Brentford took the points to continue their challenge at the top of the table.
Brentford Development Squad: James Bransgrove; Will Ekong, Alfie Mawson, Aaron Pierre; Josh Clarke, Tyrell Miller-Rodney, Josh Rees, Jack Uttridge (sub Richard Bryan 69 mins); Jack Powell (sub George Pilbeam 87 mins), Charlie Adams; Luke Norris
Subs (not used): Joe Taylor, Montell Moore, Joe Maloney
Ipswich Town Development Squad: Michael Crowe; Reece Brown, Mawete Nkunga, Matthew Clarke (sub Kyle Hammond h/t), Tyrone Mings; Gunnar Thorsteinsson; Joshua Carson, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Byron Lawrence (sub Jon Leddy 82 mins); Aaron McLean, Adeoye Yusuff (sub Cory Galvin 68 mins)
Subs (not used): Amir Berkane
By Chris Wickham