10 May 2025
Ipswich Town 0 Brentford 1
Ipswich Town welcomed Brentford to Portman Road, which had turned into something of a nightmare for Kieran McKenna’s side this campaign. Newly promoted sides need to turn their own ground into a fortress to stand any chance of staying up, however, the Tractor Boys had lost seven straight matches in front of their own fans.
The visitors still had their eyes on Europe after three straight wins. It was the hosts who created the first chance as Hutchinson swung a curling cross into the middle. Delap got up to meet it but his header was straight at Flekken in The Bees’ goal. It was an early sign of intent from Ipswich, the sort of attacking play their fans had not seen enough of this campaign.
Brentford came forward on their first attack and forced a corner. Then ensued the comedy antics from the officials. Twice they tried to take the set-piece but the referee blew up due to infringements in the area. He booked van den Berg for an incident when the replay seemed to show that Greaves hauled him to the floor. At the next attempt to take it he booked a player from either side.
Samuel Barrott is fairly new to the Premier League roster of referees and it shows. One common theme in matches he officiates is a plethora of yellow cards. All that shows is someone who is not in control of the game whatsoever. Added to that, Jarred Gillett, who was on VAR duty has shown himself to be just as incompetent this campaign.
Finally, at the third time of asking, Mbuemo’s corner came into the penalty area. Schade rose to meet it and headed it into the far corner to give Brentford the lead at Portman Road. Suddenly, it all fell silent apart from the away end. This is like some sort of Groundhog Day moment for home fans, now deadened inside to seeing their side go behind in matches.
The Bees should have doubled their lead when the hosts gave the ball away in the middle. Wissa threaded a pass into the path of Mbuemo and most expected to see the net bulge. The Brentford attacker looked to dink it past Palmer but got it all wrong. It led to the simplest of saves for the keeper and a wasted chance for the visitors.
Thomas Frank’s side were now dominating the game. Mbuemo played a ball into Schade in the box, who controlled and turned all in one movement. The striker ended up in a heap on the floor, demanding a penalty, but the referee waved away his protests. It was one of those ones that if the referee had given it, there was no way VAR was going to overturn it.
After the break, it was the visitors who looked to turn the screw. Damsgaard played a neat pass into the feet of Wissa, who looked to flick it into the far corner. Palmer got down well to make a save to deny him, but unless the Tractor Boys upped their levels of effort this was going to be one-way traffic at Portman Road in the second-half.
You will struggle to find a game this season where the referee was less in control of than this clash at Portman Road. As corners came into the Ipswich penalty area, it was like something from WWE. Tuanzebe had arms wrapped around the waist of Collins as he hauled him to the ground. Unbelievably, the referee waved away protests and VAR saw nothing to get involved in. Mental.
The referee was dishing out cards like some sleight of hand magician. Mbuemo got a shot off from the back post but Palmer made a good save to deny him. Wissa was the showed a yellow card for trying a bicycle kick as the defender leant in to head it away. Nothing came as a surprise with this clown running the show in the middle.
Despite dominating the game, the lack of a second goal from The Bees was becoming a problem. Ipswich started getting forward more and creating chances. Firstly, Hutchinson got a shot away at the near post but a slight touch from Flekken saw it strike the outside of the post. Moments later, Burgess had a volley from six yards out but his effort was cleared by the legs of the Brentford keeper.
It was all Ipswich in the closing stages of the game and as Hutchinson whipped in another cross, a free header from Hirst was straight at the keeper. The visitors held on for an important three points but the hosts only had themselves to blame for getting nothing from the game. Brentford however are still in the mix to get themselves into Europe next season.
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