Neal Maupay’s 72nd minute penalty saw Brentford to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Griffin Park, Jonas Knudsen having been harshly adjudged to have fouled Bees sub Sergi Canos. The Blues, who lost skipper Luke Chambers to what appears likely to be a season-ending injury in the first half, rarely looked like getting back on terms, although Grant Ward’s powerful shot was stopped by home keeper Daniel Bentley, then Chris Mepham blocked Martyn Waghorn’s effort from the rebound.

Tristan Nydam, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Luke Hyam, Callum Connolly and Freddie Sears all returned to a Town line-up featuring five changes from Monday’s 2-2 draw with Millwall.

The Blues started with the three-man backline of Carter-Vickers, skipper Luke Chambers and Adam Webster, with Jonas Knudsen at left wing-back and Jordan Spence on the right.

With Cole Skuse missing out with a head injury, Hyam, Nydam and Callum Connolly were in midfield with Sears joining Waghorn up front.

Young Australian striker Ben Folami was on the bench, having made his Championship debut as a sub against Millwall, alongside Stephen Gleeson, Mustapha Carayol, Myles Kenlock and Bersant Celina who all started against the Lions.

For Brentford, Maupay replaced the injured Florian Jozefzoon in an otherwise unchanged side, while Alan Judge made his first home start since suffering a broken leg at Portman Road in April 2016.

Hyam, the man whose tackle led to that injury, was booed every time he touched the ball in opening exchanges in which nether side was able to get on top.

Brentford carved out the game’s first chance in the 10th minute and only a very sharp reaction stop from Bartosz Bialkowski prevented them from going in front.

Following a swift break, Yoann Barbet hit a shot which was going well wide to the left of the keeper until Maupay diverted it to his right and the Polish international keeper somehow managed to get his foot across to force it past the post.

Judge blazed over in the corner’s aftermath before the Blues’ first real attack was ended by a linesman’s flag as Waghorn attempted an overhead kick on the edge of the six-yard box.

On 17 Carter-Vickers was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon, rather harshly, for a foul on Judge. Soon after Barbet was fortunate not to join him for hauling back Sears midway inside the Bees half. Waghorn’s freekick eventually came to nothing.

Four minutes later, Blues captain Chambers collided heavily with keeper Bialkowski and after treatment was forced off with an injury which could well see him miss the rest of the season.

The Blues defender had chased a ball over the top and didn’t appear to see Bialkowski as he ran off his line towards him.

The Town skipper immediately called for assistance for what looked to be a collarbone problem and after treatment was gingerly walked to the tunnel by the Town doctor with a brace already on his arm.

Kenlock took over at left wing-back with Knudsen, who took the captain’s armband, moving to the left of the back three and Webster into the centre.

Chances had continued to be rarities in a not overly enthralling match. On 32 Romaine Sawyers latched on to a ball over the top but scraped his shot well wide of Bialkowski’s left post.

Town struck their first effort of the game in the 37th minute, Kenlock shooting behind from the left of the area after good work from Nydam, Waghorn having initially sent Sears away with a fine ball into space down the right.

In the penultimate minute of scheduled time, Bialkowski batted away a Judge shot from the edge of the box and Maupay was crowded out after the rebound landed at his feet.

The Blues had the ball in the net a minute later, Connolly having been found by a Hyam chip over the top into the area. The on-loan Everton man eventually back-heeled the ball through the keeper’s legs and into the net but after referee Robert Jones had blown his whistle for handball, a decision the midfielder contested vehemently.

Connolly headed straight at Brentford keeper Daniel Bentley from a deep Waghorn corner from the right, then at the other end Bialkowski saved low from Ollie Watkins during four minutes of otherwise uneventful added-on time.

As manager Mick McCarthy made his way across the pitch from the dugout to the tunnel, a section of Town fans sang ‘Cheerio’ in his direction among other more abusive chants which the Blues boss sarcastically applauded.

It was a half memorable for very little aside from the rare sight of Chambers being forced off by an injury.

Brentford had played most of the football but had only threatened on a couple of occasions when they found Bialkowski at his best.

As ever, there was no lack of effort from the Blues but aside from Waghorn no one else had shown much quality on the ball and Kenlock’s effort wide was the only shot.

Six minutes after the restart Connolly was booked for a foul on Josh McEachran, who in turn joined him in the book for hauling the Blues midfielder to the ground in the aftermath.

On the hour, with the early part of the half having continued where the first left off, Maupay almost caught Bialkowski in possession as he dallied before clearing.

Brentford swapped Kamohelo Mokotjo and Judge for Nico Yennaris and Sergi Canos in the 66th minute.

The home side were continuing to have most of the game’s few chances. On 69 Watkins hit a shot which deflected over.

However, Town, and particularly Waghorn, were starting to look a threat on the counter-attack and a minute later Bentley did well to claim the former Rangers man’s cross-shot from the right after he had burst away on the break with Sears unmarked in the middle looking for his first goal in 37 games.

But in the 71st minute the Blues had a soft penalty awarded against them for the second Saturday in succession. A long ball was played into left of the box and Canos went to ground under the attention of Knudsen. There looked little in it but inexperienced Championship referee Jones pointed to the spot.

It appeared a very harsh decision, Town having been on the end of a similarly tough call at Birmingham last week, and Knudsen was shown a yellow card in the protests which followed. Maupay took the kick and hit it low to Biakowski’s left to open the scoring.

The Blues switched Nydam for Grant Ward after the goal and Brentford brought on Emiliano Marcondes for McEachran, then a few minutes later Celina replaced Kenlock, who received a hug from manager McCarthy having been a sub himself in the first half as Town moved to a four-man backline.

Chants of ‘Mick McCarthy get out of our club’ followed the goal with Brentford dominating possession as the game moved into its final 10 minutes having grown in confidence after going ahead.

But in the 87th minute the Blues twice went close. After good work from Celina on the left, Ward smashed a powerful shot which was straight at Bentley who knew little about it as he saved. The loose ball ran to Waghorn who cut in from the right and hit another powerful strike which hit Chris Mepham in the face and rebounded out of the danger zone.

In the final scheduled minute, Canos hit a low shot which deflected off a Town player and rolled just wide with Bialkowski scampering across his goal.

Moments later, as the match moved into four additional minutes, the Spaniard was booked for a cynical foul as Connolly broke.

Town kept looking for the equaliser in the remaining minutes but never seriously looked like grabbing a goal which would have grabbed them a point.

As at the end of the first half chants were aimed in the direction of departing manager McCarthy as he left the field, the Blues boss this time not reacting.

As at Birmingham, a game of few chances were turned on a debatable penalty, although it was Brentford who had played most of the game’s football and had created more of the match’s relatively few chances.

Town huffed and puffed and frustrated the opposition as they always do but lacked quality and provided little threat in a display typical of many this season.

The defeat sees the Blues drop to 14th in the table, two points behind Norwich, with five games of the season - and the McCarthy era - left to play, starting with Barnsley at home on Tuesday.

Brentford: Bentley, Maupay, McEachran (Marcondes 74), Watkins, Mokotjo (Yannaris 66), Egan, Judge (Canos 66), Sawyers, Dalsgaard, Barbet, Mepham. Unused: Daniels, Macleod, Bjelland, Clarke.

Town: Bialkowski, Carter-Vickers, Chambers (c) (Kenlock 24 (Celina 73)), Webster, Spence, Hyam, Nydam (Ward 73), Connolly, Knudsen, Sears, Waghorn. Unused: M Crowe, Gleeson, Carayol, Folami. Referee: Robert Jones (Merseyside). Att: 10,939 (Town: 1,644)

Photos: Pagepix

DurhamTownFan added 17:58 - Apr 7 How many times do we read on match reports ‘town rarely looked like getting into the game/scoring' etc... so dull
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EssexTractor added 17:59 - Apr 7 Now Mr Evans have you actually obtained the 100% legally tight agreement to name the new manager before 30 April..the alleged" cut off date" for your Early Bird ( with 10% discount!). If that is the case then are we assume it will not be a current manager as those would be under contract with the season not over ? Or if it is a " successful but unemployed ( past ) manager" then why not name him..it won't surprise MM because his number is well and truly up!! Even a temporary manager or even no manager at all! for last 5 matches could not make the atmosphere worse, for those who have no season ticket will just not start and those with one will walk in their droves if this totally totally INEPT manner of treating truly truly faithful supporters continues. No Mr Milne No tweet Just you for once in your life for this Football Club Mr Evans come out from wherever you are and TALK to us....

22

cornishblu added 18:00 - Apr 7 So glad he gave the youngsters a chance...yet another load of cobblers coming out of mm ....and again showing EXACTLY why he is going ......for any lovers he.s. done it to himself but he went see it ...or his one big fault..won't say it....absolutely good riddance
15

brittaniaman added 18:00 - Apr 7 Well Dino 2pts. out of a possible 18pts.is hardly going to help your CV. IS IT ????? Why keep playing the same old Dinos style when it is not workings is it just to annoy the fans which you love doing ???? Brenner Wooley dare not question your team selection or Tactics in his interview today. Time to say Goodbye !!!!!!1
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terryf added 18:02 - Apr 7 I'LL DO IT MY WAY AND TO HELL WITH THE FANS!!!! This is exactly why McCarthy needs to go now. Playing three at the Back against one striker and two full backs who are certainly not wing backs defies any logic. Once again no creativity in midfield and where were the youngsters??? THIS IS THE TIME WE NEED TO BE GIVING THE YOUNGSTERS A CHANCE TO PROGRESS. I looked at the lineup before the game and thought well we have no chance. Poor old Freddie is a busted flush and just added another match to his goal less total. We've got plenty of guys who can run around alot, but without creativity and a goal threat we will always be chasing a lost cause. I'm just pleased I didn't buy a ticket for this match as I came close. Fortunately after the Sheffield United and Hull games I decided to save my money. What is the point of McCarthy holding on, apart from annoying us fans!!!!!!! As I've said before the man is only interested in his own Street Cred.

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Bluetone added 18:08 - Apr 7 McCarthy doesn't dare to pick a team built round the youngsters they could just prove him wrong and his ego couldn't allow the chance of that happening.
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ashp19 added 18:10 - Apr 7 that was poor today!
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braveblue added 18:10 - Apr 7 Suffolkboy. You are deluded. The site reports what happens. The numbskull manager reacted and it was reported. Don't try defend this useless idiot of a manager. Man management is not restricted to football. I have managed many more people than MM and the way he does it and treats the fans would not be tolerated in any other business. He has only ever managed one world class player. And look what happened. We had our worst finish in 50 years last season and we are in free fall at present. Relegation form. But the tactics remain the same. Head out of sand please.

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jas0999 added 18:10 - Apr 7 Grumpy old man - great to hear. Was just feeding back what a stay away fan told me today. I would like nothing more than to see PR rocking again. I just wonder if that will be the case. Lots of damage done over past two years. We will see. Personally I will renew now MM is going.
5

warktheline added 18:14 - Apr 7 Who's up for an evening at Vauxhall Park , McCarthy's tribute band the 'Mickites' courtesy of TWTD posters, will be full swing! Opening with that classic 80's disco track 'Can't get by without you'! by the Real Thing!
3

KenHancocksBoot added 18:17 - Apr 7 Oh dear. He doesn't learn does he? Predictable as soon as the team was announced. Role on the new era (hopefully Maurice Steijn who looks a superb fit for us)
11

blrmy added 18:18 - Apr 7 MM is going to be history, it amazes me that rather than harp on about MM, questions aren't being asked about how effin awful our "CEO" is acting.
4

surgery added 18:19 - Apr 7 Sorry braveblue my mistake should have been a +, couldn't agree more with what you say
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MicksZzzTactics added 18:21 - Apr 7 @Tony88 Ehhhh it's a fan forum you happen to be logged onto matey, and one of the objectives of having such a forum it's for the club's fans to give their '2 Shillings Worth' & simply voice their entitled (but alas far from ALWAYS sound, factual or simply half well-founded) opinions about pretty much anything to do with their team! So know even YOU know! :-) lol :-) But besides @Tony88 this HERE particular subject i.e. regarding your football team's game squad & starting XI and hence which player was included & used in the game and which wasn't! is probably the very hottest subject among any fan of any given club apart from of course the actual performance itself... and of course the result & points haul (especially if you are one of those that's cares EXCLUSIVELY about this and very little else!). ....and on that note I have to add a couple personal observations from TODAY: Firstly well it makes M.E.N.S.A. eligible kind of sense to not only start Freddie "No Goals" Sears when 1) the poor 'Proper Bloke' in all likelihood has no future with the club in the 2018/2109+ Dino-free season 2) still after all his long drought quite obviously couldn't "score" even in a freakin' brothel!!! and likely by now have accumulated some kind of sad EFL record for most minutes played without a goal for a "deprogrammed" forward!!! and 3) inexplicably also let him finish the game too???!!! as after a poor/anonymous 1st half he even winded up (according to for instance https://www.whoscored.com ) as the clearly WORST performing/rated player on the pitch overall!!! And secondly, please enlighten the rest of us inferred "numbskulls" what in addition to the above stranger than strange Conan Doyle'esque case of Mr. Sears... is the freakin forward-thinking point of at this otherwise pointless juncture of yet another ITFC 'Also Ran' season, to start any of them loanees with no future here (ahhh alright with the possible exception of CV who often, as he did today too, is anchoring the central defense and visibly is often the very best among Mick's plethora of defensive-minded on the field players) OVER our eager & top motivated youngsters ...who obviously needs SERIOUS playing time at this very level to basically learn from experience (and learn from their mistakes too!) to get better and at the same token for ANY sensible ITFC manager to fundamentally learn by "Trial & Error" (and thus not mere "toying with" or in pure spite towards the portion of the fanbase who can't stand him & his dispositions!) which -- thus based on their 1st team showings -- among our more hyped youngsters are somewhat ready plus which among them a true keeper for this level!

13

Lukeybluey added 18:21 - Apr 7 Don't think I have ever known a manager to know that he's going and yet still at the club. I don't think this has ever happened to any club!? Ever.... In the history of football!!!! The situation we seem to be in is a little insane if you ask me!
16

Northstandveteran added 18:22 - Apr 7 Nothing to add that hasn't been said or will be said. Jas0999 I have to agree with your post. 10,000 plus Ipswich fans may have found other things to do on a Saturday. In my opinion the damage has been slowly progressive since Marcus Evans tenure And that is not me putting the blame completely on him. Those numbers of fans have been lost over a period of years and will take years to return. Because let's face it, a new manager, whatever his calibre, isn't going to sort this shambles in 1 season and suddenly turn us into a winning team that people in their droves will return to watch. Fortunately, he will be given time.. As for this our position, I have been predicting 14th all season, however, slightly lower is now looking likely. Still favouring the Dutchman. I think he has the enthusiasm and credentials needed for a massive overhaul.

16

runaround added 18:23 - Apr 7 Team set up not to lose ends up deservedly losing. The end of McCarthy reign cannot come soon enough now
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BlueandTruesince82 added 18:24 - Apr 7 Suffolk Boy, he wasn't applauding chants of get out of our club unsarcastically was he? I don't see how else it can be interpreted? He was hardly saying thanks guys.
7

DanFBlue added 18:24 - Apr 7 Good away day for Town,Mariott 1goal, Pitman 2 , .... forgot, they don't play for us anymore!
10

PSGBlue added 18:25 - Apr 7 Thank god for the first four games, from match five we have been little better than relagation form, 41 points from 36 games, simply not good enough. MM should have walked this time last year. w season has been a complete waste of time with the club having gone backwards with falling attendances. Evans should take the blame for that, how much money has been lost this season due to a lack of vision by Evans. I believe even with a change in manager, not all the missing supporters will return next season. Supporters will need to see a change in attitude from the club that they are serious in making a positive change. Putting in the likes of Pardew or McClaren won't do that. An inspiring manager along with investment is the only answer in moving Ipswich forward

14

Cheshire_Blue added 18:29 - Apr 7 Suffolkboy, how wonderful to read some intelligent common sense.. You are absolutely spot on in all you say. It is time the ignorant numbskulls stayed at home and allowed the silent majority who want to support the team to do so in a pleasant atmosphere. I am confident we will end up further down the championship table next season and possibly in League 1 unless there is a massive injection of funds.

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Spanishblueblood added 18:35 - Apr 7 Suffolkboy/Tony88 = Clueless C0cks!
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FromIpswichToPhoenix added 18:35 - Apr 7 I'll rank "We'll not let season peter out" up there with "Make America great again". Both are empty promises.
4

Town7579 added 18:35 - Apr 7 I'm looking forward to next season, when all the mick mccarthy fans have left this site, and only ipswich fans will be left to make comments.
17

Spanishblueblood added 18:42 - Apr 7 Town7578 Spot on pal
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