Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted that his side weren’t as good as they have been in recent games as they drew 1-1 at home to Brentford and that the Bees were the better team.
"They were very, very good, we weren’t particularly good with the ball at all,” McCarthy said. "They deserved a point, they probably deserved to win it, they were the best team.
"Why that is I don’t know. Probably because they’re a good side. But then we’ve played a lot better in the last five games and probably deserved more points than we’ve got.
"And today we’ve had to scrap and fight and stick at it and if there’s a bright spot or a positive point then that’s just what we did and we got a point when eight weeks ago I would have been sat here with a face like thunder and we probably have lost that 3-1.
"You look for positives and that’s the case, but they were excellent today, very good.”
He added: "We’ve played a lot better. I don’t know why. It’s just not happened for us today. It’s just a shame we’ve come here and played in front of our fans like that when we’ve had five other games when we’ve played particularly well I think and it’s been a lot better. Today was disappointing.
"We always want to get three points but there are some days you just take the point and you’re glad of it and today is one of them.”
Despite the disappointment, Town are now undefeated in six, which pleases McCarthy: "It sounds a lot better. I know it’s been five draws and a win but it’s another point because we’ve had a tough old time.
"I think that’s the measure of the lads that they’ve stuck at it today. In the past I think we would have come off and we’d have been beaten.”
Midfielder Emyr Huws, who is on loan from Cardiff, scored his second goal for the club and McCarthy says he has already talked to the Wales international about moving to Portman Road on a permanent basis.
"I’ve spoken to Emyr, I think that’s the first step, and asked him if he’d like to join us and he’s said he’d be delighted to,” he said.
"That’s positive, that’s good news, although I don’t think he’s going to say ‘No, mess off!’
"He said he’d love to, so that’s good. He’s enjoying it, that’s the thing, he’s back enjoying playing, he’s enjoying being here and I think everybody’s enjoying having him here. Certainly I am and the fans are.”
McCarthy says Huws’s Wales international colleague Tom Lawrence, who made his return from his two-match ban, is still feeling the ankle injured he suffered in the home game against Derby.
"He’s having to nurse it a little bit,” the Town boss added. "It won’t be right until the end of the season and he can put it in the sea somewhere and have a few weeks off and not be doing anything on it, that’s when it’ll be perfect again.
"He’s been off for two weeks, he’s not going to be as sharp. I thought it was the right decision to play him. He’s been brilliant for the rest of the season. Freddie had come in and done exceptionally well but Tom’s been our talisman.”
Regarding Cole Skuse’s chance to win the game for Town late on, McCarthy added: "Brentford are set up to catch you on the break and he generally ends up being the sitter and the security.
"But I think as a footballer you should be doing a bit of everything and he’s just recognised his opportunity to play it and go forward and he was a bit unfortunate he didn’t get a better contact on it.”
The Blues manager had praise for Myles Kenlock, who cleared a goal-bound Sergi Canos shot off the line in the second half.
"Myles is doing great, I’ve been delighted with him,” he added. "To play at this level week in, week out, that’s something he hasn’t done and I think he found it tough at times because he’s up against some good players.
"But he was Johnny on the spot, got back and defended. He’s a wing-back but he got back in and did his defensive job. I’m really pleased with him.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s home game against his old club Wolves, McCarthy says one or two players are suffering from niggles but he expects them all to be OK.
"Emyr’s got a bit of a tight hamstring,” he continued. "It’s a bit unfortunate for some of the lads who have come in and haven’t played all season.
"Jordan Spence is another one who has come in from doing nothing and to then playing week in, week out. Emyr has done the same, Toums has done the same.
"Chambo got a really bad knock in his ribs which knocked the wind out of his sails a little bit. I don’t think anybody’s going to be missing for Tuesday. We’ll have to wait and see tomorrow morning.”
Brentford boss Dean Smith felt the Bees were the more likely winners in the second half.
"It was a scrappy game and their pitch at the moment I don’t think helps flowing football, it’s a little bit slow and bobbly," he said.
"I don’t think the goalkeepers were worked as much as they should have been. I thought we started the game quite well, then there was a spell when they took over for 20 minutes and they probably edged the first half.
"The lad’s scored a good goal, it was a good finish. I can nit-pick with our players and say we should have been tighter and stopped the cross.
"I think he was a bit fortunate that the cross ended up with him but it was good execution.
"I thought we got back into the game then and got more on the ball and it was a well-worked goal.
"A great ball through from Romaine Sawyers and Nico Yennaris has arrived in the box and scored again.
"In the second half I thought we were the better team. I thought we looked the more likely team to go on and win the game.”