Brentford 4, Ipswich Town 3

Image: Captain Christian Nørgaard an ever present danger

Goal glut sees Bees’ table leap

It hardly comes as a surprise when the Bees find themselves up to their necks in unexpected competition. Not even when surrounded by the comforts of the Gtech Stadium. Or, come to that, when struggling with the ambitions of resolute teams and do-or-die supporters in far-flung territories.

It seems that making hard work of such scenarios just comes naturally to the Bees. It is just their way.

Perhaps I am being churlish abut Ipswich. Two goals saw them ahead and another put the visitors on terms in a second half when Brentford were comfortably in command.

Image: Mbeumo celebrates his penalty

The visitors deserved the spoils their industry brought with them. But one could not help feeling throughout – once that brace of early goals had been dealt with – that the home side would emerge triumphant come the final whistle.

Known fondly in Suffolk as the Tractor Boys – hardly a flattering nickname to reflect their agriculture locale – Ipswich must be complimented on working their socks, or Wellington boots, off, yet rarely penetrating the Bees’ defences without assistance from the hosts.

Sadly for the visitors, they did not possess a Yoane Wissa or Bryan Mbeumo, as useful a pair of roving strikers as you would find in Premierland. That didn’t prevent Sammie Szmodics beating Mark Flekken to put Ipswich ahead on 28 minutes and George Hirst doubling the lead three minutes later.

Image: Commanding Bryan Mbeumo

Was Brentford’s collective face red? Not much, although Flekken was capably dealing with Ipswich’s attempts on goal that did not actually find their way there. True, the keeper found himself in a scramble or two, but athletics and bravado managed to save the day.

Late into the half saw Wissa capitalise on a Keane Lewis-Potter cross and early in the second period this harrier of a forward was instrumental in helping Ipswich midfielder Harrison Clarke to convert a scramble into his own goal. Where upon the red faces switched sides and the Bees began to exert authority and hunt for the goal that would put them in front.

Image: Defender Nathan Collins goes forward

Lewis-Potter, enjoying a special game that ran the visiting defence ragged, was brought down by Clarke. One could assume that he was having a bad day without discovering for what reasons, but there was more to come. In the meantime, Lewis-Potter rubbed whatever part of anatomy that was the sorest and waited for his wounded pride to be dealt with.

The VAR pondered for what seemed like forever – but not by much – before sanctioning the resultant penalty, which Mbeumo thundered into the roof of the net while keeper Arijanet Muric was fumbling to find his binoculars.

This rally should have been the end of this story, but Ipswich, not lacking in gumption but whose luck was about to run out, bounced back once more, although not until Clarke fouled Lewis-Potter again. With a red card to accompany him from the pitch… please wait, there is more… the ten surviving visiting team members mustered one last heave for Niam Delay to level the scores at 3-3.

Image: Phew, Yoane Wissa’s goal stands by a whisker

The spirited Suffolk crowd continued to sing and chant (‘from, To the Tractor Boys, one-nil’) before the dénouement arrived with the added time at the end not more than a minute left to play. Mbeumo, having seen two of his flighted centres from the wing fall short, launched one that squeezed in at the far post as Muric failed to get more than a hand to it.

All this and, at the interval, a pitch-side interview with local heroine Georgia Bell, bronze medallist winner in the 1500-metres at the Paris Olympics.

Well, what did you think of all that? I inquired of my mate Charlie.

Image: Local girl and Olympic bronze medalist Georgia Bell is half-time guest

‘Bring back the Tractor Boys – and Georgia,’ said Charlie.

Brentford (4-2-3-1) Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Van Dan Berg; Janelt, Norgaard (Jensen 78m); Damsgaard (Schade 77), Mbeumo, Wissa; Lewis-Potter (Carvalho 31).

Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1): Muric; H Clarke, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis; Cajuste (Townsend 90+1), Phillips; Obene (Burns 35), Chaplin (Wooffenden 73), Szmodics (J Clarke 73); Hirst (Delap 73).

Bill Hagerty is a contributing editor to the Bees United website. Photographs by Liz Vercoe.

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