Brentford kept their slim play-off hopes alive with a hard fought 1-0 win over Ipswich thanks to top scorer Neal Maupay's second half penalty.
The French striker sent Blues goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski the wrong way from the spot after Jonas Knudson's needless shove on Sergi Canos after 72 minutes.
Maupay's 12th goal of the season from the spot always looked like being the decider in a scrappy game marred by a series of niggly challenges.
Ipswich's misery was compounded when they lost centre-back Luke Chambers to injury inside 20 minutes after a collision with the Blues keeper, to be replaced by Myles Kenlock.
Mick McCarthy's side always looked happy to sit back and hit Brentford on the break and it was a tactic that almost reaped rewards despite a dogged Bees rearguard.
The penalty changed the game and Ipswich began to press more - and Dan Bentley knew little about his point-blank stop that denied Grant Ward's thundering volley in the dying minutes to preserve the win and the clean sheet.
Below are five talking points to emerge from the contest.
Grinding it out
As a spectacle, Brentford's 1-0 win over Ipswich was one that would merit being shown last on a highlights show.
The Tractor Boys came with little ambition, preferring to put eight men behind the ball and try and hit the Bees on the break.
It was the sort of game that Dean Smith's side have struggled with over the course of the campaign, notably against Burton and Barnsley at home.
But Jonas Knudsen's foul on Sergi Canos in the box gave the west Londoners a penalty which Neal Maupay duly converted.
That drew Ipswich onto Brentford and some excellent goalkeeping and last ditch defending from Dan Bentley and Chris Mepham ensured the Bees picked up the three points they deserved.
The west Londoners have shown that side of their game here and there over the course of the campaign, notably against Reading in January, but it has not been shown often enough. They need to produce that on a more consistent basis. If they can then they will go from strength to strength.
The penalty
The decisive moment in the contest was when Knudsen was judged to have shoved Canos over in the penalty area.
"Dean Smith has said they have deserved a pretty soft penalty and when managers say that it usually means they don't think it was one," claimed Mick McCarthy.
"I can't do anything about it. I was happy with the performance and we played well today but again it's all down to fine margins."
It was the sort of decision that Brentford fans would have been up in arms about had it been in the other box but the Bees haven't had the best of times with officials this season.
You only have to look back to Easter Monday's game with Bristol City when Ollie Watkins was booked for diving. Replays showed that it was a clear penalty.
Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn't. Saturday was one where it went Brentford's way.
Majestic Maupay
Neal Maupay has come in for criticism for much of the season but he had one of his best games in a Brentford shirt today.
The Frenchman has had bad days at the office here and there, namely the games at Cardiff and Burton, but his display against the Tractor Boys showed his worth.
It was hard for the striker in the first half as he had very little service and had a number of defenders trying to stifle him.
While it can be hard to judge a goalkeeper's performance if the defence and midfield blank the opposition to the extent where they don't have a save to make, it can be the same for a striker on the other team.
It was like that in the first half where his only chance was when he deflected Yoann Barbet's wayward shot and produced a good save from Bartosz Bialkowski.
However, he kept showing for the ball and wanting to make a positive impression. And he was able to do so with a coolly taken penalty to give the Bees the victory.
The play-off chase
While Brentford are still five points off the top six, there is a feeling that the gap can still be bridged.
With Bristol City and Sheffield United both losing, the Bees are now in position to overtake them provided they keep on winning.
It was a minor disappointment to see Millwall, Middlesbrough and Derby all pick up three points to keep the gap at five points.
However, there will, no doubt, be a number of twists and turns between now and the end of the season.
Brentford just have to keep winning their games. They can play without pressure or fear at this juncture as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Ignominy for Ipswich
Clearly, Ipswich fans are sick and tired of having Mick McCarthy as their manager and the departing manager had to sneak out of Griffin Park to avoid the angry crowd.
Visiting managers have to walk past the away fans to get to and from the dugout and the Tractor Boys gave their boss plenty of grief.
McCarthy sarcastically applauded the boo boys at half time and stoutly walked off at the final whistle.
He wasn't the only Ipswich representative given grief at every turn as Brentford fans made their feelings clear towards Luke Hyam.
Brentford 1 Ipswich 0
It was two years ago on Monday that the midfielder left Alan Judge with a broken leg in two places and he has not been forgiven by Bees supporters.
It wasn't the worst reception a visiting player has had this season; that was reserved for Harlee Dean in February.
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