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Brentford 2-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time - Ipswich Town News

Neal Maupay and Ollie Watkins’s goals have given Brentford a 2-0 half-time lead over the Blues at Griffin Park.

Flynn Downes, Trevoh Chalobah, Toto Nsiala and James Bree returned to the Town starting line-up with Cole Skuse, James Collins and Gwion Edwards all dropping out of the 18.

Downes came into the midfield for Skuse, while Nsiala took over from Collins at the centre of the defence. Bree was at right-back with Josh Emmanuel dropping to the bench.

Chalobah was back in midfield, while Dozzell was in a role on the right similar to the one Alan Judge, facing his old club, plays on the left, with Collin Quaner again the central striker.

Simon Dawkins and Tristan Nydam were among the subs but there was no place in the 18 for Will Keane, the striker still considered not ready for his return from his hamstring injury.

Neither side made much headway in the opening 10 minutes, although the home team saw most of the ball, with the only serious action a nasty looking late and high challenge by Bees skipper Romaine Sawyers on Teddy Bishop which surprisingly didn’t see referee Andy Davies show his first card of the evening.

On 11 Maupay tried to play through Watkins but the ball was overhit and Bartosz Bialkowski claimed. Four minutes later, Bree tried similar at the other end and his pass was also too strong for Judge.

Town began to see more of the ball and in the 19th minute Bishop was sent away down the left by Judge but his cross towards Quaner was cut out.

A minute later, the Blues should have gone in front. Dozzell sent Quaner through on goal, the on-loan Huddersfield man took the ball wide of keeper Luke Daniels and chipped goalwards but his effort stuck the post and bounced out.

Town were immediately made the rue the miss with Brentford breaking up the other end and taking the lead, Maupay slamming home from eight yards after his initial attempt had been blocked by Bree following good work from Said Benrahma.

Having taken the lead the Bees had their tails up and soon after the goal Benrahma hit a powerful strike from 25 yards but which was straight at Bialkowski.

Moments later, Watkins was found on the right of the box and his low shot was well-saved by Town’s Polish international keeper.

In the 28th minute Brentford made it 2-0. Downes slipped midway inside the Blues half - hardly the first Town player to lose his footing - and gifted possession to Sawyers, who fed Maupay. The earlier scorer played to Benrahma to his left and the Algerian passed across the six-yard box to Watkins, who was able to tap home with comfort at the far post.

Dozzell curled a shot to keeper Daniels on 33 but the home side continued to look the greater threat with Maupay eventually getting crowded out on the edge of the box.

The Frenchman, whose movement was giving the Town backline all sorts of problems, almost made it 3-0 on 38 when fed in on the edge of the box by Benrahma but he shot wide.

The Blues were fortunate to reach the break without conceding a further goal with Maupay and Benrhama in particular having caused no end of problems throughout the half.

The first Brentford goal was a microcosm of Town’s season, the Blues having created an excellent chance which Quaner had been unable to take before Brentford were immediately allowed to take their first chance at the other end.

The Bees’ second goal came from the sort of slip which has happened too often throughout the campaign.

Aside from Quaner’s chance the Blues had failed to create anything with the home side’s backline solid.

Town’s relegation could be confirmed at the end of the second half if they remain behind the Bees with Wigan and Reading winning at half-time. If they stay ahead and Millwall also win against QPR, then League One status for the first time in 62 years will be confirmed.

Brentford: Daniels, Odubajo, Henry, Maupay, Watkins, Dasilva, Sawyers (c), Benrahma, Jeanvier, Konsa, Bech Sorensen. Subs: Balcombe, Macleod, Canos, Marcondes, Dalsgaard, Forss, Oksanen.

Town: Bialkowski, Bree, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Kenlock, Chalobah, Downes, Bishop, Dozzell, Judge, Quaner. Subs: Gerken, Knudsen, Jackson, Nydam, Emmanuel, El Mizouni, Dawkins. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire).

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