Kayden Jackson nodded his first Championship goal as the Blues held second-placed Brentford to a 1-1 draw at Portman Road. Neal Maupay gave the Bees a deserved 31st minute lead in a first half the visitors dominated but Town were much better after the break as they came back to claim their fourth home draw of the campaign with Jackson heading the equaliser on 73.

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.

Twelve members of the Beattie family were at the game as guests of the club, while his daughter Emma and grandson Keiron walked out with the teams.

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.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, manager Hurst rang the changes at half-time with Nolan and Edwards taking over from Harrison and Spence as the Blues switched to their more usual 4-2-3-1 system.

Chalobah rather embarrassingly screwed a shot from distance out for a throw soon after the restart, however, the Blues were making a bright start to the half.

On 50 Knudsen forced Bentley into a save at his near post after good work from Ward and from the corner the Blues again went close.

Bentley failed to claim and Jackson hooked over his head off the bar and the Bees subsequently defended desperately to force the ball away from goal. Eventually Ward was fouled out on the left but the freekick came to nothing.

Town continued to put the Bees under pressure with the visitors now the ones struggling to get out of their own half.

However, on 57 Brentford broke quickly with Benrahma eventually teeing up Watkins on the left of the box but his shot was well saved by the advancing Gerken. Soon after, Yoann Barbet was booked for bring down the breaking Ward.

The Bees switched Benrahma for Sergi Canos in the 59th minute, then moments later Gerken again did well to come off his line quickly and save from Maupay after a flowing Brentford move had worked the Frenchman a chance in the area.

The West Londoners came within a whisker of making it 2-0 in the 64th minute when Barbet’s freekick from just outside the area crashed against the bar with Gerken beaten and Town were able to clear the loose ball.

Nico Yennaris replaced Josh McEachran for the Bees in the 69th minute with the Blues’ earlier pressure by now having subsided.

However, in the 72nd minute Town equalised. Ward fed Chalobah on the right and the on-loan Chelsea man dug out a cross to the near post from where Jackson flicked a header across Bentley and into the far corner of the net.

Increasingly confident Town, looking a totally different side to the one which was so poor before the break, continued to take the game to the visitors, although with Brentford still threatening at the other end on the break.

In the 78th minute Maupay was swapped for Alan Judge, then six minutes later the Blues switched Chalobah for Downes.

Jackson, whose pace was much more of a threat in the second half, hit a 25-yard effort which was easy for Bentley in the 84th minute.

Seconds after the game moved into injury time the Blues might have won it. Downes sent Jackson away towards goal on the right of the area but the earlier scorer smashed his shot into the stanchion.

Knudsen was booked for a foul, then moments later the final whistle was blown, this time to applause from the Blues support.

Games of two halves are relatively commonplace but rarely are two periods quite so contrasting.

The Blues, with owner Marcus Evans watching, were every bit as dreadful in the first half as Brentford were impressive. But after the break, having made their changes of personnel and system, Town looked a different side with the visitors, who will feel they should have had the match won in the first 45 minutes, the ones finding themselves under the cosh for spells.

Brentford still had chances in the second half with Pennington again excellent at centre-half and Gerken making two or three sharp saves, but Town were much, much better.

However, eight games in, while still unbeaten at home - four successive draws - they remain searching for their first win with Bolton - who play at Middlesbrough tomorrow - visiting Portman Road on Saturday.

Town: Gerken, Spence (Nolan 46), Pennington, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Donacien, Chalobah (Downes 83), Skuse, Ward, Harrison (Edwards 46), Jackson. Unused: Bialkowski, Graham, Edun, Kenlock.

Brentford: Bentley, Mepham, Maupay (Judge 78), McEachran (Yennaris 69), Watkins, Mokotjo, Sawyers, Benrahma (Canos 60), Dalsgaard, Konsa, Barbet. Unused: Daniels, Macleod, Clarke, Jeanvier. Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire). Att: 14,897 (Brentford: 453).

Photo: TWTD

Razor added 10:20 - Sep 19 I personally thought Knudsen and Skuse OK last night--------experienced players who we must have in side following all the changes. Pity we could not win it in last minute but Jacko obviously got a bit excited!! Roll on Saturday---game we should and must win.
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Paddy39 added 11:49 - Sep 19 Thought Spence was abysmal shouldn't be anywhere near the first team going on his past 3 performances utter sh1te.
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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 11:51 - Sep 19 I was just about to write something, about my game & site observations... with a planned audacious "feminine" touch to it of course lol, but now I see the venerable @guentchev echos my sentiments just about perfectly! So well done to him & therefore no personal need to simply repeat any of it (albeit all things considered I happen to think a draw was just a bit fortunate -- but hey! we surely needed & still need some more of that coming OUR way! -- despite the delightfully resurgent Jackson's breakaway chance at the end *might* have won it. However it obviously requires, first & foremost, that Kayden shoots that one "on target"), but only add 1 or 2 other semi-quirky observations to it: 1) Don't always agree unconditionally with sharp-tongued inclined Mick Mills' game commentary (on Radio Suffolk / iFollow streams) but he emphatically nailed it on the head last night when he around the 35 min. mark said words to this effect during my iFollow video stream: "Look at Brentford, they have played the same systems all seasons and it shows. Everybody anywhere knows what to do, and is doing it well. Us however, (Yikes!), we yet again look like we haven't got an idea / clue, and that's in EVERY department of the field!" (Thankfully things got much much better in the 2nd half, where btw from my personal perspective the Mr. Hurst who emerged from the dressing room at the end of the break had a unmistakable look about him much like an overly disillusioned & very desperate man... in big stakes Poker Game... who just decided to go "All In " including the proverbial kitchen sink! Happily things FINALLY clicked & worked out for him.) 2) And speaking of gambling, doesn't really seem like anybody else have had the inclination to mention yesterday's match as btw also the grandiose clash between the 2 quote "morally bereft" online gambling Vegas's: Brentford's *LeoVegas* and ours much talked about *Magical Vegas*. Meh! What a "Penny Dropper", eh? lol Man do I miss those halcyon 'Pioneer' days in so many more ways than one!

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blueboy1981 added 12:40 - Sep 19 Make no mistake Brentford are without doubt a well organised and effective tea, so let'e not take anything away from our performance against them. First half, non event from our performance point - second half a credit to them all. Still obvious that we have much to do, defence needs more experience for sure - someone to organise ... !! for starters. and a creative influence in midfield. In so doing, I have faith in our strike force to do the business. Give me what I saw in the second half anyday, over the boring era of McCarthy. I went home satisfied, along with I guess many others. Roll on the first win.

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blueboy1981 added 12:41 - Sep 19 ....... team ..... NOT 'tea' !!
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dubblue added 12:42 - Sep 19 Highlight of the night had to be the tribute to Kevin Beattie! Bit of a cliche but it was a game of two halves and the first was truly woeful. Nolan and Edwards certainly made a difference. My big concern is whether PH knows his strongest 11 - with a relatively large squad there is a temptation to chop and change, but if keep dropping 3 or 4 players from match to match when will he know his first 11 - and he has not factored in yet the return of Dozzel and Huws. Hope he starts Nolan and Edwards on Saturday and Walters is fit to play.

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blueboy1981 added 12:45 - Sep 19 ....... not forgetting that Hurst still has much to learn about formations, and tactics ...... !! Well done all for that second half.
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blueboy1981 added 12:48 - Sep 19 Long live The Beat in our thoughts. Great to see so many ex players paying tribute to such a great guy, and players - well done you guys, not forgetting a great response from the crowd. Where were the other 11,000 that were there for the Norwich game, to show their respect ?
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blueboy1981 added 13:01 - Sep 19 ....... I still maintain Hurst needs Burley there to give some input - Hurst still concerns me with his obvious inexperience at Championship level, and it shows in so many ways. If not, much as I want to be proved wrong, he and the Club will suffer because of it. Prove me wrong Paul Hurst - starting with Bolton on Saturday.
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:23 - Sep 19 Whats the story on Jon Walters ?
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blueboy1981 added 13:43 - Sep 19 ...... dirtydingusmagee - Walters...... Achilles strain, no prognosis on time out as yet.
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blueboy1981 added 13:45 - Sep 19 ........ I would think Walters got well pee'd of with ploughing a lone furrow at Hull on Saturday, and could see himself having to do likewise last night .... !!
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:24 - Sep 19 Timmy H: Interesting you mention the Brentford "formula." Part of this formula is that they have got rid of their Academy altogether. I certainly wouldn't want us to go down that route. Another part of their formula is that they have scoured the French and German markets, something I feel we need to improve on. In the past, we have had a scout out working in Europe, but we don't seem to have the resources for that now. (However, you'd think the dividends might make it worthwhile.) Yet another part of the Brentford formula is season on season improvement, building slowly but according to a plan of how the game should be played. Again, we seem to be in the very early stages of this kind of process; let's hope that the PH project finally does find its feet and move forward. If we got to where Brentford are now, that would be some achievement.

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KernewekBlue added 14:37 - Sep 19 Well... what a turnaround! Watched the game last night on the red button (as I live more than 350 miles away) and was truly shocked at our first half performance. Inept, clueless, aimless in all areas of the pitch, noone seemed to know what they were doing there. There was not one player in our team who looked good enough for this league. Someone commented previously that we couldn't string two passes together... I didn't see that we could string ONE pass together! Quite frankly, it was painful to watch as a supporter of this magnificent club. Abysmal. Brentford looked much keener and sharper, knew what they were doing and passed the ball around with impunity. Every one of that Brentford squad seemed to know their role in the team and their place on the pitch... how they didn't go in at half-time with an unassailable lead is mystifying. As the second half loomed, I found myself dreading the prospect that I would witness yet another half of football as cringeworthy as the first and that we would eventually suffer a complete and utter spanking. However, I was to be very pleasantly surprised!!! Suddenly and without warning, that maelstrom of mediocrity turned into a football match. Apart from the occasional lapse where passes went astray and the odd bout of aimless hoofball, we actually looked like a football team again for large portions and seemed to be the better, more dangerous side. We were the dominant force in many areas and were taking the game to our opponents. It was actually quite pleasurable to watch! We seemed more confident and our passing game and movement off the ball was far, far better. Chalk and cheese when compared to the first-half debacle. Whatever PH and the coaching staff did and said at half-time should be bottled and imbibed at the start of each and every game! Poor Jordan Spence had another mare and again looked out of his depth. Perhaps he needs something different in training to bring the best out of him. Great to see KJ get his first league goal in a Blues shirt and hopefully gain some confidence for the next fixture. PH would have learned a lesson or two as well for upcoming games. On a slightly different note, some people who comment here seem to think that those who call a spade a spade when it comes to summing up what they've witnessed being dished up by our boys in the name of entertainment, are being negative just for the sake of it I don't ascribe to that viewpoint. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, which, if given correctly, is as valid as anyone else's. Just because certain negative aspects of our game get highlighted (and let us be honest here, there have been so many to choose from), it does not mean that the individual doesn't support the cause just as much as the next man (or woman). Criticism isn't a sign of a lack of support... it can be constructive to air these views in public to provoke thoughts of how to remedy the perceived deficiencies in our team. Those with rose-tinted glasses may not agree. Anyway, I feel much more confident our first victory is just around the corner after that second-half display last night. Bring on The Trotters! COYB!!!

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mib added 15:47 - Sep 19 Sorry JD bloody banana fingers, totally agree with your assessment.
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ONENIL78 added 21:22 - Sep 19 Is it me..or is the P/A system the worst ive ever heard,,,
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