This was one of those where (cliché alert) merely reading the scoreline of a game that finished 4-3 to Brentford doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what played out when Ipswich Town came to the Gtech on Saturday afternoon.

Truly, this was the fixture that had it all. Defences on holiday. Stirring comebacks. A bromance reignited. Last minute twists – twice. 7 (seven) goals. 1 red card. The visitors eventually falling apart in a style that would have made even Leeds United blush but, most importantly, 3 more points for The Bees.

The most important takeaway of the afternoon being another win for Thomas Frank and his team but, in truth, I’m still having palpitations thinking about the rollercoaster ride of our own route to victory. If the pre-match conversation had centred on the assumption that this was about as much of a ‘home banker’ as one could hope for, moreso when the reveal of the starting XI showed the return of Wissa up top, those thoughts were soon well and truly dispelled.

Anyone who has seen the 1995 classic, ‘Under Siege 2: Dark Territory’, will know the sage advice uttered by villain Travis Dane (Eric Bogosian) to a henchmen looking for Casey Ryback (Steven Segal), “Assumption is the mother of all foul ups” he wisely opined (using a word far stronger than ‘foul’). Sure enough, yet another example was given as Ipswich scored not once but twice with little more than half an hour on the clock. George Hirst setting up Sam Szmodics for the first on 28 and then bagging the second himself just three minutes later.

Brentford had been stuck in second gear and playing with an uncharacteristic lack of intensity. The visitors containing any threat, mild though it was, then cutting huge swathes through the midfield and back line for those two goals. Quite frankly, it should have been worse. Mark Flekken atoning for his own hashed clearance just moments earlier to deny Szmodics from close range when it looked nailed on for 3-0 on 39 minutes.

Then, the switch flicked. Brentford finally came alive to the danger. 2-0 down in the 44th minute became 2-2 going in at half-time. Wissa with the first after a wonderful run from KLP had opened up Vitaly Janelt. The German playing it across the box and no mistake made with the finish as the ball was swept home from 12 yards.

Moments later it was level. Damsgaard releasing Wissa whose run was perfectly timed to stay onside. Bearing down on goal, his shot was destined for the back of the net but helped home by Harry Clarke. A brief pause for VAR to give Ipswich false hope before the goal was confirmed and parity restored. The interval coming and Thomas Frank delivering a team talk that, surely, involved metaphorical hair dryers. Brentford had been complacent, profligate, lackadaisical. Most of all, blinkin’ lucky to go in all square.

The second half saw the turnaround completed with little more than six more minutes on the clock. Another run from KLP causing panic in the Ipswich backline. Harry Clarke (again) deciding he had little choice than to begin a protracted wrestling move outside the box before finally bring his man to ground inside. The initial free-kick upgraded to a penalty by VAR and there was Bryan to finally give Brentford the lead.

Ipswich completing the move from ‘+’ to ‘-‘. Brentford 3-2 in front and the only direction here was up, yes? Moreso when the hapless Clarke completed the most unwelcome of hat-tricks. O.G., penalty conceded and sent off.

The defender shown a second yellow for another foul just outside the box after being run ragged once more by KLP. The free-kick came to nothing but a final twenty minutes against ten men nothing more than a formality. Or, at least, it should have been.

Chances came and went. The clock run down. Then, from seemingly nowhere, the visitors breaking and Liam Delap able to get on the end of a ball from Davis. Noooooooo!!! 3-3 with just four minutes left. The Bees having the game in complete control and throwing it away rather than putting it to bed.

Yet if the official 90 had seen it all, the time added on took things to the next level. Nathan Collins, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box, receiving the knock down from Damsgaard’s late corner but with the goal beckoning he fired high and over. Urgh. Points now set to be shared but Bryan Mbeumo had other ideas.

I’ve no idea he meant to go for goal but with the clock registering 96, he delivered the consummate example of that commentary staple when they’re not too sure either. Namely, the cross-cum-shot.

It was lofted. It wasn’t overly pacy. Being honest the gut reaction was that it had been a bit of a poor effort. Yet as the ball continued on its path, evading everyone and curling goalwards towards the far corner the optimism grew. And grew. And grew. To the point that even ‘keeper Muric was left bamboozled and the Gtech went nuts as the ball hit the back of the net.

Yessss. The sweetest of feelings. A last minute twist to top them all and crush Town’s thoughts of salvaging a point when, really, they’d been celebrating all three earlier in the afternoon.

Except, if we all know the aforementioned line from the Segal ego-trip (or at least, should know – the film being so bad it’s a master class in unintentional comedy), there was another to consider.

It’s Brentford, innit?

Nothing is ever simple. With the shutters being pulled down at the last chance saloon, Ipswich worked it again. Liam Delap with the opportunity from nowhere. Again. The ball going past Flekken. Again. Curling toward the back of the net. Yet with hearts in mouth, a fleeting sense of inevitable dejection turned to sheer relief for the home faithful as it cannoned clear from the far post to eventual safety.

This final, final twist being the last one. There was no further escape. No further chance. The game finishing 4-3 Brentford and Thomas Frank’s team back in to the top half of the table on Sunday morning. A win is a win is a win but The Bees very much forced to fight all the way. Ipswich coming so close but in the end finishing empty-handed despite all their efforts.

Play like this and they’ll be fine. Wolves, Southampton and Crystal Palace have all looked way more chaotic on their visits. Still, that’s for those four sides to deal with. For Brentford, the potential to keep pushing upwards is there to be grabbed if they want it.

All that’s to come but for now our top five from Saturday. As always, five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to find an overall winner for the season.

2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 9 (vs Ipswich)

1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Keane Lewis-Potter
Played out of his skin in this one. He ran Ipswich absolutely ragged down the left flank and was involved in pretty much all the key talking points of the game.

Poor Harry Clarke was duped time and again on an afternoon where KLP’s pace and fleetness of foot provided those pivotal turning points in the second half. They weren’t even close to being his only highlights. Every time he put his head down and ran there was a feeling that something would happen.

His contribution to Wissa’s opening goal was equally important. Vitaly gets the assist for playing that final ball over but let’s be 100% clear that it was KLP did all the heavy lifting. Bringing the ball forward and into a position where Ipswich were carved open like a Bernard Matthews’ turkey.

2nd (4 points) – Yoane Wissa
And that’s what happens when we have a centre-forward. Through nobody’s fault, the Bees have been lacking a front man for a few games but what a difference Wissa made upon return.

Let’s be categoric that his opening goal was THE moment that changed the game. Ipswich heading in to the break two goals up and would have been feeling ebullient. Then, it all came crashing down like a lego house as Wissa belied any pressure to stroke home our first with authoritative calm.

His second has been reclassified as an own goal but, again, it was as good as his. The run to get onto Damsgaard’s through ball just perfect. The finish, leaving Muric no chance. Nor Clarke.

He’ll probably think he could have had another in the second half but let’s not be greedy. Wissa dragged us kicking and screaming back in to this one. Without his cool, Brentford would have been doing well to get even a point.

3rd (3 points) – Bryan Mbeumo
Tough calls between Bryan and Wissa. The fact they ended up with three-plus goals between them showing just how ell they work as a unit. Moreso with KLP down the other side.

The penalty for the lead a moment that yet again caused question as to how Brentford, and Bryan, have managed to fill the void left by Ivan Toney’s dead ball precision so, so well. The winning goal a moment that saw supporters and players celebrating in unison. Bryan with the presence of mind to curl a ball goalwards that caught everybody by surprise.

What an ending though. What a finish. Goals win games and this was no finer an example.

4th (2 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
‘Only’ fourth for Mikkel this week. That won’t worry him. It’s his 7th (seventh) successive appearance in a top five table he continues to lead. Thomas Frank must be loving this level of consistency and, like KLP, he caused havoc when going forwards.

One moment in the second-half saw him take it round Muric without even touching the ball. The mother of all dummies and something that would have been up there for goal of the season had he been able to then get on the end of it. Alas not, but that’s to take nothing away from yet another dynamic performance.

Mikkel doing, again, what he has done so many times this season. Running the show.

5th (1 point) – Vitaly Janelt
It might have been Harry Clarke. It was almost the post that saved our skins at the death. With the greatest respect, this time around it was none of the back line.

Instead, Vitaly takes fifth spot. Our silent assassin. The unsung hero. Our stealth bomber. If KLP and Damsgaard were about running with the ball, Vitaly was the man playing the passes through the midfield. Looking to help open up an Ipswich team who were, ultimately, there for the taking (just).

His ball across to Wissa the one that will grab his spot on the show reel whilst, overall, Brentford lost shape when he went off for the final fifteen. His role as part of the A-team clear and we almost ended up paying the ultimate price.

2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 9)

All of which means Mikkel Damsgaard remains clear at the top, albeit Bryan closing the gap by a point. KLP leapfrogs both Mark Flekken and Nathan Collins, aswell as pushing out the skipper, as all five points from his ‘Star Player’ performance return him to third.

Next up, the small matter of next Monday night in Fulham. If ever there was incentive to keep up the momentum then here it is…

1st – Mikkel Damsgaard (29 points)
2nd – Bryan Mbeumo (21 points)
3rd – Keane Lewis-Potter (17 points)
4th – Mark Flekken (15 points)
5th – Nathan Collins (14 points)