Tractor factor comes into play
Brentford 4, Ipswich Town 3; 26,10.24
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
Well, what did you think of all that? I inquired of my mate Charlie.
‘Bring back the Tractor Boys’ 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).
Penalties see Bees scrape home
Brentford 1, Sheffield Wednesday 1; 29.10.24 (Brentford win 5-4 on penalties).
Coach Thomas Frank had earlier expressed Brentford’s first-half performance against Ipswich as unsatisfactory, but if this was the case their second-half show in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup-tie was also a damp squid.
Sheffield Wednesday – the visiting opposition rather than the day of the game – conceded a goal after eleven minutes, when Kevin Schade’s shot rebounded from keeper Pierce Charles before the Bees’ forward found the net. The home side should have increased their lead, dominating proceedings, and something similar was expected for them after the break.
But the introduction of strength from the bench saw a more cohesive Wednesday and when Djeidi Gassama drilled home a fine shot from twenty-five yards, the Bees found themselves more often than not on the wrong end of the Gtech pitch. Bryan Mbeumo, maintaining the season’s form, had a thunderbolt of a shot saved by Charles; otherwise the visitors would have won on points if Queensberry Rules had been in use.
The 5-4 emphatic win on penalties means the Bees are through to the last sixteen in the competition, to be played in December. So good, or so okay, but some more polished, commanding play will be necessary if they are to progress further.
Brentford (4-3-2-1): Flekken; Meghoma (Roerslev 70m), Mee, Collins, Van Den Berg; Janelt, Jensen (Damsgaard 66), Lewis-Potter; Fabio Carvalho (Wissa 66), Mbeumo; Schade.
Bill Hagerty is a contributing editor to the Chiswick Calendar website.