Last-gasp Mbeumo goal gives Bees dramatic victory
A last-gasp Bryan Mbeumo goal earned Brentford a dramatic comeback win.
The Bees fell behind to two goals within the space of three first-half minutes but a Yoane Wissa strike and an own goal from visiting defender Harry Clarke meant the scores were level at half-time.
Mbeumo put Brentford ahead from the penalty sport early in the second period following a Clarke foul, and the right-back’s torrid afternoon was capped by being sent off with 20 minutes to play.
Substitute Liam Delap looked to have rescued a point for the visitors late on but Mbeumo proved the match-winner as his overhit cross looped beyond Arijanet Muric in the Ipswich goal.
Kieran McKenna’s side went ahead just before the half hour as a raking pass from Kalvin Phillips allowed George Hirst to set up Sam Szmodics for a curling finish beyond Mark Flekken.
The winless visitors went further in front three minutes later when Hirst finished expertly after being played in by Conor Chaplin.
Wissa, making his first start in six weeks following injury, reduced the deficit on 44 minutes as he swept in a Vitaly Janelt pass at the end of a flowing move.
And Brentford were level before the break as Clarke bundled the loose ball into his own net after Arijanet Muric had saved from Wissa.
Things got worse for Clarke after the interval, with VAR judging that he had fouled Keane Lewis-Potter in the penalty area, allowing Mbeumo to score his seventh goal of the season from the spot.
Clarke was shown a second yellow card for fouling Lewis-Potter with 20 minutes to play but Delap got in front of Ethan Pinnock to stab in the equaliser for the early-season strugglers in the closing stages.
Mbeumo had the final say though, drifting in from the right to produce a deep, curling delivery that Muric could not keep out.
There was still time for Delap to strike the woodwork with an effort from distance but Brentford hung on to make it four wins from five home matches this season.
Brentford: Flekken, Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Van den Berg, Damsgaard (Schade 77), Norgaard (Jensen 77), Janelt, Mbeumo, Wissa, Lewis-Potter (Carvalho 80). Subs not used: Valdirmarsson, Meghoma, Mee, Konak, Trevitt, Yarmoliuk
