Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted that “anything that could go wrong, went wrong” as his Blues side was beaten 3-1 by Brentford at Portman Road.

Luke Hyam was red-carded just before half-time after a clash with Bees’ midfielder Ryan Woods, having been booked in the early stages for a tackle on Alan Judge, which led to the Republic of Ireland international being stretchered off with what’s thought to be a broken leg.

Brentford manager Dean Smith felt the challenge was “a bit of a naughty tackle”, a view with which McCarthy didn’t concur.

“I’m disappointed that he said that,” the Town boss said. “I don’t think it is, I think he’s won the ball. I’ve just gone and complained at the referee as to why it was a booking if you win the ball.

“I don’t think it was naughty at all. Surprises me that, and disappoints me. But we all have opinions on it.

“I feel really sorry for Judgey, I know him and I had him in here and was going to sign him [in 2013] and he signed for more money at Blackburn.

“He’s a great kid and a lovely player, so I feel really sorry for him. The injury actually affected us more than it affected them.

“It affected Luke Hyam, his game is about getting about, winning tackles, having a presence like that and he couldn’t do it then.

“And ultimately, it’s cost him because I’ve no doubt he was targeted with the tackle that he got.

“But then he shouldn’t have reacted the way he did, he can’t do anything about that, it is a second booking and he is going to get sent off.

“He was going to come off at half-time. I would have hoped he could get to half-time, knowing he’d been booked, you can’t react in any way like that and you’ve got to be careful.

“And he had been careful by not going into tackles like that, so I thought he’d got his head around that and I’d make the decision at half-time. In hindsight I should have taken him off but that’s 20/20 vision that.

“He’s apologised, he’s sicker than anybody else because he’ll feel that he’s contributed more than anybody else in a way that it’s cost us the game.

“It hasn’t cost us the game, I think the first decision of the referee’s had a big part in costing us the game.”

Regarding the challenge from Konstantin Kerschbaumer on Cole Skuse in the lead-up to Brentford’s first goal, McCarthy was in no doubt it should have been given as a foul and that referee Phil Gibbs was close to giving a freekick.

“Everybody and their f******g grandmother thought it was a foul. And I’ve just been to see the referee and he goes to put the whistle in his mouth to blow. He said, ‘No, I didn’t put it to my mouth’. He still did, I just watched it.

“The linesman has said that his foot was planted and he slipped. It was a foul, he hasn’t given it. Anything that could go wrong has gone wrong.”

He added: “We gave it a go in the second half. I can only take something out of the sense of pride the players had the way they went about it in the second half. That was good with 10 men against a good team.

“I’m still disappointed with the manner of the goals, the second Brentford goal certainly. The third goal was even worse because we had the ball.

“The lads showed a lot of pride in the shirt and not letting their heads go down, they kept going until the very end, so that’s something to take out of the game. We had a few chances, but we didn’t take them unfortunately.”

McCarthy admitted it was a difficult decision to drop Tommy Smith as he looked to add a greater attacking threat from his full-backs.

“It was a tough decision for me to make,” he continued. “[It wasn’t a reflection on Tommy’s performances] whatsoever, and having had two clean sheets, it’s a difficult one to do, but we were playing at home and I wanted us, if we could, be a bit better with the ball.

“I thought Kevin Foley started great with the ball, he’s a very good footballer and I thought Jonas was excellent, certainly in the second half.

“He was really an example to anybody to how you keep going, he got better and better. It was with a view to having two more attacking footballer-based full-backs.”

Regarding Town’s prospects of getting their play-offs push back on track if they beat Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough next week, he said: “Aunty and bollocks come to mind.”

Asked about reports that a phone call from Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s mother had led to the on-loan Arsenal winger’s omission from recent squads, before returning to the XI today, he said: “What we do is private, whatever goes on, I wouldn’t comment on, to be honest with you.”

McCarthy confirmed that Teddy Bishop was fine, despite having been left out of the 18.

Brentford boss Dean Smith said he isn’t yet sure of the extent of Judge’s injury: “I’ve not heard the finality of it at the moment.

“He’s gone to hospital so we’re just waiting to hear. I’m hoping it’s not as bad as I fear because I heard something and I’m hoping it was the shin pad rather than the crack of bone.

“I thought it was a bit of a naughty tackle, personally, and I thought it deserved a red card.”

He added: “I just thought that the ball was there to be won, but I think he knew he was going to go in and do Alan as well at the same time. He was very reckless in my opinion.

“But I also felt there were a few talking points. I thought the tackle on Ryan Woods by Luke Varney later on was naughty as well and was deserving of a red card.

“There were a few talking points because Kersch maybe fouled their lad in the build-up to the first goal.”

Reflecting on his side’s performance, he said: “I’m really pleased. We’ve had a lot of injuries as well. Nico Yennaris pulled out last night with illness, he’d scored two goals in the last two games and had been instrumental in centre midfield.

“We’ve got Josh McEachran out with a fractured metatarsal and John Swift out, who got injured on U21 duty, so we’ve been light on the ground.

“I’m very proud of the players to come through the games that we’ve had in the last week and to score three goals in each of them and get three wins. Excellent.

“At 11 v 11 I thought we looked the likeliest to score. I knew coming here I knew in the first 15 minutes it would be very much a second ball game and we’d have to go and compete.

“The incident that happened with Alan, I thought the lads reacted really well, they were very disciplined, they never got involved with anything really, never went jumping into tackles and kept their discipline very well.

“We scored a good first goal, Kersch made a good run and pulled it back for Sam Saunders and it was a good finish.

“And then their lad gets himself sent off and I thought in the second half we created a number of opportunities. Towards the end I thought we had some tired legs and gave them some opportunities.”

Photo: Action Images

HarryS_H added 09:49 - Apr 10 How people can say this season couldn't be worse is completely beyond me!!! 8th in a very competitive league is not a bad position for a "bad season" changing the manager will not benefit us in any way. Mick is the right man for the club just give him some money!!
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essexblue88 added 09:51 - Apr 10 I find some of your comments amazing. When Mick took over we were in freefall to league 1, he has toughened us up and still made a team in the top half of the league with little money. I am sorry, but with the lack of attendance, noise and moaning at PR, we will struggle to attract great players, regardless of whether we spend money. Why blame Mick? So we are not pretty to watch, we need to strengthen in the summer and clear some deadwood out. But tell me a manager that has never made transfer mistakes. When Mick took over we were going nowhere. He brought in Tabb etc…, the reason being they give 110% and run their heart out. He is not a gifted footballer, but a work horse and that was what we needed, and that is why we got in the play offs last year. That is why we are in the top half. I am sure Mick knows what we need in the summer, but without Bishop and McGoldrick, we have lost our playmakers, the people that make the team tick. How many teams can cope with losing their two best players? He made tactical mistakes, he made transfer mistakes, yes. Have you never made a mistake at your job? We need to back the boys and get to PR and support them, make it a fortress again. I spend a fortune at PR with my kids and buying in store and going to matches. I hope the armchair supporters are not just on here causing problems. Everyone deserves an opinion, but if you make it too loud, we will affect the club, the ability to attract players, and struggle to convince Marcus to spend more money when everyone wants him out and does not appreciate what he has done. He saved us from doom. Poured millions in to Jewell and Keane and that got him nowhere. Why would he want to spend his kids inheritance after those two? I bet we all moan about gas/electric prices or petrol, well imagine spending millions on a football team, saving it from administration and bankruptcy, and still the fans are moaning. Sort it out, get behind the boys and see what the summer brings. We need wingers and a playmaking midfielder. We have decent defence, great keeper in Bart and strikers that will take the chances. Now lets do our part, be loud and support them, not boo them. Ps. Get rid of Mick, who do we get? How many great managers will come in and work with free transfers? Mick knows the league and can get us out. COYB!!

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TimmyH added 10:39 - Apr 10 @essexblue88 - what quality footballer who is creative, can run with the ball and upset the opposition will want to come here with Mick's style of management? Most wide midfielders have basically failed since Mick has been here (other than Fraser)as Mick always plays at least 2 defensive midfielders with much not much width. You can't keep going on about Mick and him saving us from League 1 either, he was paid a handsome bonus for that and whose to say another manager wouldn't have saved us? Just to remind anybody that has forgotten when Mick took over in November 2012 to the end of that season with the points total he accumulated we would have been 6th!! - 3 years later have we improved on this? NO. As for Evans...well don't get me started, his decisions have cost us - since he bought the debt and became owner we certainly haven't been successful.

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Westy added 11:04 - Apr 10 Mick, you laid the foundation for anything that could go wrong going wrong.
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essexboy added 12:36 - Apr 10 Essexblue88.I like your post and I agree with a great deal of what you say.But I think your missing the point here.MM has had three seasons here,the first he saved us from relegation,and yes we are grateful of that.Then we failed last season in the play-off's.So from that you would have thought MM and the owner would have learnt something from that,but they have not.There has been very little funding,terrible team selection and tactics.We cannot blame everything on injuries can we.MM and the owner had a chance in January to improve the squad but neither did,hence the dire position we are in now.MM stated in an interview the other day that he had judge here and was ready to sign him but we could not meet his wage request so he went elsewhere.Ok,we don't need to upset the apple cart with high wages but if he would have made that much difference ,just why did we not go that little extra,this has happened on many occassion this season,which makes me think the owner is not interested. After this dire season do we all really think Mr.Evans will invest in the close season,I don't think so.The season tickets have increased for next season which according to a lot who sit near me will not be buying next season after what they have been subjected to this season. Instead of improving this season we have done the opposite.We cannot guarenas the lone players we have will even want to stay for next season so if they go we won't have much left.This means cast-off's again or loan players once more.Tell me where is the progress in that. Either there is a big investment from the owner or there needs to be a very big re-think this summer as to where the club is moving with regards to the Owner and the Management,otherwise it will be the same old thing all over again.

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yorksblue added 14:18 - Apr 10 Needs to change or we'll be certs for Lge 1 this time next season
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Bluetone added 16:49 - Apr 10 I wonder if any supporter said when Bill McGarry left be careful what you wish for. Yes I know that we had a temporary manager for a few games at that time.
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Seasider added 18:48 - Apr 10 McCarthy is a disgrace to this once proud football club. Why Because he actually approved of a tackle by a moron in Hyam who should have received a straight red for intent to hurt an opposition player(and succeeded).This was MM'style I believe as a player,along with big Jack Charlton,Vinney Jones and Billy bite the legs Bremner.A style now consigned to history whos ghost continue to haunt Portman Road. He should have been taken off straight away,fined by the club,and never play in first team again. This Dinosaur shows his true self when swearing in interviews.What example does this set especially the young. His boring anti football has depleted our quartet in the Sir Alf Ramsey stand by 2 who will not be renewing and the remaining 2 will miss their company we have enjoyed over many many years. Sad very sad

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Mick_Mills_Tache added 20:59 - Apr 10 Anybody who keeps saying we're having a bad season but we're still 8th etc etc....we're only still 8th because we had a couple of good months leading up to Christmas. Since then, we've taken a 20 points from a possible 60 is it? Not forgetting being played off the park TWICE by a team TWO divisions below us. That's bottom half/relegation form. Open your eyes, take the blinkers off and broaden your horizons. Stop being so blind.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 16:33 - Apr 13 Don't let the door hit you on the way out
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joolsg100 added 06:54 - Apr 14 Im sorry some of you so called fans are the morons... ok town are not playing exciting football which is frustrating.. ME needs to release some funds for new players. MM can only do the best with what he has... Lukes challenge was not malicious in any way it wasnt a studs up two footed challenge and in the slow mo replay he did get the ball...but it wasnt intentional !! The challenge on Luke in slow mo was awful studs up thigh high and out to maim !! Yes MM should of taken him off after 20 or so mins of course it affected his game...ITFC fans so bl**dy fickle...we could be bottom three and prob would be without MM & TC

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