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Ipswich Town 0-1 Brentford - Half-Time
Tuesday, 18th Sep 2018 20:47

Neal Maupay’s 31st minute goal has given Brentford a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues at Portman Road.

Town boss Paul Hurst made five changes to the team which lost 2-0 at Hull on Saturday with Janoi Donacien, Trevoh Chalobah, Kayden Jackson, Ellis Harrison and Grant Ward returning to the side, while Jon Walters, as expected the mystery pre-match doubt, missed out. Gwion Edwards, Jon Nolan, Jordan Graham and Flynn Downes all dropped to the bench.

The Blues lined up in a 3-5-2 system for the first time under Hurst with Donacien at left-back, Jonas Knudsen on the left of the back three and Grant Ward, Cole Skuse and Chalobah in midfield. Harrison and Jackson were up front.

Prior to kick-off there was a minute’s applause for Blues legend Kevin Beattie with former team-mates Allan Hunter, Terry Butcher, George Burley, Clive Woods, John Wark, Roger Osborne, Brian Talbot, Steve McCall and Bryan Hamilton among those paying tribute to the player widely viewed as the club’s greatest ever from the touchline.

In the third minute, Said Benrahma cut in from the left and hit a shot which Dean Gerken claimed down to his left.

A minute later, the Blues’ keeper’s heart may have been in his mouth after Maupay took the ball past him when through inside the area and went to ground. However, referee Darren Bond felt the striker had dived and correctly showed him a yellow card.

Almost immediately, there was a similar incident at the other end with Harrison felled trying to go round Bees keeper Daniel Bentley but the former Southend man had got a touch on the ball and Town were given a corner.

As the clock ticked past the six-minute mark the Portman Road faithful again showed their appreciation to Beattie, six having been his usual shirt during his heyday.

Early Blues attacks were a rarity with the visitors enjoying the lion’s share of the ball and putting Town under pressure. On 10 a low Romaine Sawyers flew across the Blues’ six-yard box and was almost inadvertently turned in to his own net by skipper Luke Chambers, the ball narrowly squirming past the far post.

The Bees continued to threaten on a regular basis, Matthew Pennington clearing Maupay's header from a Henrik Dalsgaard cross, then Sawyers shot over.

Town created their first opportunity in the 17th minute. Knudsen’s shot was deflected behind and from Ward’s corner Pennington’s header appeared not to be held first time by Bentley but Chambers was unable to get to the loose ball before the keeper pounced upon it.

But Brentford continued to look dangerous with Town giving the ball away in their own half on a number of occasions, much to the crowd’s frustration, and in the 31st minute the West Londoners went ahead.

The ball was cut back from the right by Sawyers beyond Ollie Watkins but Maupay behind him arced a header into the top corner.

The Bees had thoroughly deserved the goal on the balance of the game and forced Gerken into another save soon afterwards, Sawyers hitting a low shot which the keeper stopped to his left.

Brentford, every bit as slick as their league position suggests, continued to dominate with Town pegged back on their own half for long spells and losing possession almost as soon as they regained it. On 44 Gerken saved from Benrahma from distance.

Just before half-time Pennington made a strong run out of defence and looked to thread in Jackson, who ended up on the turf as Bees skipper Chris Mepham challenged. Referee Bond, after some deliberation and a look to his linesman, gave a corner.

There were a few muted boos at the whistle after a half in which the Blues had been thoroughly out-classed. Town had struggled to get any foothold in the game, having looked uncomfortable with the new system and lacking in confidence, and might have found themselves going in more than the single goal down.

The Blues will have to step their performance up significantly in the second half if they’re to get anything out of the game.

Town: Gerken, Spence, Pennington, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Donacien, Chalobah, Skuse, Ward, Harrison, Jackson. Subs: Bialkowski, Edwards, Nolan, Graham, Downes, Edun, Kenlock.

Brentford: Bentley, Mepham, Maupay, McEachran, Watkins, Mokotjo, Sawyers, Benrahma, Dalsgaard, Konsa, Barbet. Subs: Daniels, Macleod, Canos, Yennaris, Judge, Clarke, Jeanvier. Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).


Photo: TWTD



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armyofblueandwhite added 20:49 - Sep 18
Where are the leaders in this side? Awful half!
1

jalapenosteve added 20:51 - Sep 18
That was horrific. Inept, way out of our depth. This is scary now. Scuse can't do it all on his own!!
2

Ipswich_Sniffer added 20:51 - Sep 18
Certain relegation. Get fat Sam in NOW!
-3

DurhamTownFan added 20:52 - Sep 18
Why should the players believe in the plan if the manager clearly doesn't know what the plan is?
4

RobITFC added 20:53 - Sep 18
Shocking!
1

grinch added 20:54 - Sep 18
you cannot change a team with 5 players like this think Hurst is clueless we are so poor cannot stand this it has become embarrasing to be a town fan
2

gazza73 added 20:58 - Sep 18
Spence poor at hull & having another shocker tonight , this is a very poor side .
1

19781981twtd added 20:58 - Sep 18
We are fuc***g doomed this man is way way out of his depth and the Muppets he has wasted money on are also way out of their depth we need a bloo*y miracle well done all you clever mick out fools look at the league table Very sad on a day we really needed a performance.
-2

Bezzer added 21:00 - Sep 18
It's ok calling for an experienced manager like big Sam, but unfortunately the players are not good enough and it's too late to change that. You could have Pep as Manager with Klopp as his number 2 and they still wouldn't make any difference! We may as well gear up for league 1 with what we have!!
-1

lightingblue added 21:02 - Sep 18
I'm going to get shot down in a shower of bullets here, but I just wanted to mention something. Some people wanted big mick out. They got it. Then they wanted Paul hurst in. They got their wish. They wanted signings. They got um. Not sure what to say. Yes I agree big mick may have stayed a season to long, but did a decent enough job. Never mind let's behind the boys
2

Bezzer added 21:10 - Sep 18
Let's not forget Evans' part in this! He sells our best players and invests pittance back in! Hardly surprising we are struggling! Shop in Primark and you get Primark quality, shop in John Lewis and you get John Lewis quality!
-1

1psw1ch added 21:13 - Sep 18
Its going to be a long long horrible season
1

Suffolkboy added 21:13 - Sep 18
We must wait and see -- both what does occur in the second half ,but just what ME chooses now to do about what certainly looks like a calamitous start and poorly guided squad ,inadequately equipped in so many ways .
Sadly, those apparently coming to their senses about past events may at least begin to mull over what constitutes good management ,good judgment and good systems which capitalise on well assessed characters .
All the arrows point in the wrong direction and it seems the gaps grow greater !!
This needs sorting our pronto -- nearly this and nearly that plus an ongoing analysis of misfortunes will not be acceptable !!!
Come on you Blues !!
1

rfretwell added 21:15 - Sep 18
Managers and owners largely stand or fall on player recruitment . Its patently obvious ours have got it badly wrong.
1

RobITFC added 21:45 - Sep 18
Better 2nd half and decent point in the end, could have even been 3 pts , if Jackson had composed himself.
1

Europablue added 21:56 - Sep 18
We seem to quick to judge. It's crazy how quick we are to lose faith. Give the man a few matches, we haven't even played 10 yet. It's still far too early to pass judgement.
2

aas1010 added 21:59 - Sep 18
Resign 🤬bring in burley ! ..... or Evans sack him now before we disappear
-1

Podster added 22:03 - Sep 18
The bottom line for me is that this is clearly relegation form. I'm sorry, but this getting in ‘hungry' lower league players isn't working. Don't get me wrong, I don't want mercenaries from the Premier League, but we haven't got the blend right, including the lack of our own academy players. Low on quality, low on leadership and low on an out and out finisher. I don't want to knock Hurst, but we need to wake up quickly as to what's needed to even stay in this division
-2

Felstow1978 added 22:16 - Sep 18
19781981twtd - were you actually at the game tonight, pal?
1

Felstow1978 added 22:22 - Sep 18
Europablue - your's is a posting of reason and maturity, rare qualities on a TWTD site which has sadly become the domain of the ignorant and prejudiced these days. Keep posting, keep believing
1


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