Trialist Ade Yusuff and Aaron Mclean both got on the scoresheet but that wasn’t enough to prevent Town’s U21s from losing 3-2 to Brentford’s second string at a snowy and windy Playford Road earlier this afternoon.
The visitors threatened first in the sixth minute when Blues keeper Michael Crowe — a late replacement for Arran Lee-Barrett who has a groin injury — tipped over Lee Norris’s 25-yard strike.
Chances were rare in the opening quarter of the game but on 20 Mclean shot wide from a Josh Carson through ball.
The Northern Irishman, playing in central midfield, forced Bees keeper James Bransgrove to tip over a header from a difficult bouncing Byron Lawrence cross from the left over just after the half hour with neither team managing to get on top of the conditions.
Brentford went in front in the 37th minute after a mix-up between Matthew Clarke — a schoolboy making his first appearance for the U21s - and keeper Crowe. Clarke — who had started at centre-half but had moved to right-back — played his backpass beyond the Norwegian keeper, who managed to lunge in to prevent an own goal only for Bees striker Charlie Adams to slide the loose ball over the line.
Town got back on terms within seconds when trialist Yuseff turned Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s ball in from the left into the net from eight yards.
And the sudden goal blizzard continued with the Bees going back in front within a minute. Adams cut the ball back from the right, Jack Powell’s shot was blocked but the loose ball fell to Jack Utteridge, who finished from a few feet out.
That was it for the flurry of goals with Emmanuel-Thomas’s effort from distance, which Brentford keeper Bransgrove dealt with somewhat unconvincingly, the only other chance of the half.
The visitors threatened in the early stages of the second period, Aaron Pierre shooting wide after a corner, then Norris having an effort saved by Crowe.
At the other end, Emmanuel-Thomas shot well over in the 56th minute, then three minutes later Carson forced Bransgrove into a save with Mclean flagged offside as he looked to get on to the rebound.
The Bees added to their lead in the 71st minute when Norris headed Josh Clarke’s cross from the right past Crowe.
Town hit back six minutes later when Gunnar Thorsteinsson won the ball in central midfield and played in Mclean, who beat Bransgrove with ease.
The Blues looked to put the pressure on in the closing stages with the snow falling ever harder, but they couldn’t find an equaliser, Mclean having two strikes blocked in swift succession.
Having got away with conceding similarly poor goals against Colchester last week, this time Mark Kennedy’s men were made to pay.
The watching Mick McCarthy would have hoped that the more senior players on view, the likes of Emmanuel-Thomas, Mclean and Carson, might have made more of a mark, but the conditions made the game a battle above all else.
As for the trialists, Yusuff probably caught the eye less than in the game against Colchester, while Mawete Nkunga looked more comfortable on this occasion.
Meanwhile, Playford Road wasn't much warmer inside today with the buildings having suffered a power cut.
U21s: Crowe, Brown, Mings, Thorsteinsson, Nkunga, Clarke (Hammond 46), Emmanuel-Thomas, Carson, McLean, Lawrence (Leddy 82), Yusuff (Galvin 69). Unused: Berkane.