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Horror debut for Ipswich’s Harry Clarke with own goal, penalty, red in 7 goal thriller at Brentford

There was a horror debut for Ipswich’s Harry Clarke with an own goal, a penalty conceded, and a red card in 7 goal thriller at Brentford.

The 23 year old, made his first Premier League start for the Tractor Boys, after injuries to Axel Tuanzebe and Ben Johnson.

However, it was one to forget as he conceded an own goal, a penalty. In the 44th minute, he slid in to stop Yoane Wissa’s shot, only to inadvertently direct the ball in for an own goal.

Four minutes into the second half, he then brought down Keane Lewis-Potter to concede the penalty from which Bryan Mbeumo scored to put Brentford ahead. Clarke also got booked for the challenge.

20 minutes later, Clarke then fouled Lewis-Potter again and referee Lewis Smith got out his yellow card for a second time to show to the defender.

Clarke, an ex- Arsenal player who signed for Ipswich from Sunderland, came back from surgery on an Achilles tendon in the summer, became only the second Premier League player to complete this unwanted treble, with the first being Southampton defender Jan Bednarek when Southampton lost 9-0 to Manchester United in February 2021.

Ipswich had taken a two-goal lead in the game against Brentford on Saturday, they then recovered from going 3-2 down, to draw level at 3-3. But then they conceded a stoppage-time winner from Mbeumo. The highlights is a must watch…

Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo speaking to PLP: “I know this type of cross can be dangerous, either a flick or no one touches it, and the keeper has doubt. In the end it was a goal and it was a really important win today.

“They gave it their all in defence [with ten men], so it was really hard to find the gaps. It is not always easy but I think we showed big character today.

On going two goals down: “They defended really well and they were really good on the counter attack as well. We knew we had to stay in the game no matter what and that is what we did. We always try to stay together, stick to the plan, and we know we have the quality to get back and that is what we tried to show.

On if complacency let Ipswich back in it: “Maybe [there was] a lack of focus, but we need to enjoy this kind of win.”

On Brentford’s good home record: “It is really important to stay unbeaten at home and make it tough for the opponents to come here. We are going to try to continue to do it”

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna speaking to PLP: “So proud of the performance to be honest. Some of the challenges we have had this week with injuries and players dropping out late have been among the hardest I have faced at the club. The performance with 11 men to the performance with 10 men was great. It was on the right track and will lead us to where we want it to lead us to.

“It is a sickener for everyone but you see the reaction from the fans at the end, the support they have for the players, it was an incredible effort from everyone.”

On the first half: “It was an incredible start, we knew that you have those days where everything you plan, 90% comes off, but it isn’t always going to be enough to get a result. We limited them to very little before the first two goals, and hit well on the counter but they showed so quality moments too.”

On battling back at 3-2: “I always felt like it was there, we had a threat the whole game. George Hirst on his first league start was incredible and then we had Liam Delap to come on who is a big goal threat. Down to ten men we still felt like there would be chances for us.”

On the late winner: “I think we have the box pretty well covered, we could have done better in terms of getting out to the cross but they will get crosses in when you are down to ten men. There was a decision to let the ball go through and maybe it is a bit of a misunderstanding and it goes in the corner of the net. A poor goal but the players involved had outstanding performances, we are dealing with humans and mistakes can happen.”

Brentford boss Thomas Frank speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Being completely honest, I am still irritated. In many ways we did not do well enough, so big respect and praise to Ipswich. They were by far the better team for the first fourty minutes, there was only one team on the pitch – one of our worst ever in the Premier League.

“The last five was better and then second half we were clearly the better team and got back to 3-2 up and then lacked the killer instinct to finish it off.

“To be fair a brilliant cross and finish for 3-3, so well played for them. And then for the 4-3 we had some margins go with us, we put a lot of crosses in and if you keep doing that then maybe there is a mistake at the end of one. Let’s put it this way, when we play it is exciting.”

On seeing out the game for the win: “Massively important. It is fantastic mentality to come back from 2-0 down, and then in the end to win the game right at the last moment is big. Last year we had a long spell of games that we could not win but this season we finally managed to win these sorts of games.”

On if his players can do better: “Yes I said at half time I was angry, it is not often that I am that irritated but we were so poor. In the football and the Premier League we take nothing for granted, so we need to enjoy the win.”

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “I thought it was a brilliant game. The players delivered an outstanding performance in so many areas of the game, with eleven and ten men. It was a big step forward in terms of the resilience shown, it is disappointing we did not get any points today, but if we can show that character and belief and are competitive every week then things can turn and we can pick up points.”

On the period just before half time: “Yes that was very important. We had a pretty big chance to make it 3-0 and at 3-0 you know you can defend your lead even more stoutly and it is hard to come back from. It was perhaps the only moment we dropped our level on intensity and they executed well and scored two goals.

“Two nil at half time would have been good, three nil almost perfect, but you know here the game is not done. We did so many things right across the game, on and off the ball and with eleven and ten men which will stand us in good stead going forwards, and if we do those things we will give ourselves a chance.”

On positives: “The biggest thing is psychologically. We have had so many last minute issues and injuries where we have had to change plans, right up until this morning at the hotel, so there has been a massive disruption from five or six days ago. We are having debuts every week, so how the players performed individually was superb.

“We suffered when we had to suffer, we were aggressive when we had the chance and we were resilient too. A lot of things we did were excellent, not perfect because if it was we would not concede the goals but that is what we now need to work on.”

Ipswich Town forward George Hirst speaking to PLP: “It is a tough one to look back at right now, you don’t want to ever finish a game like that. With the situation we found ourselves in, to get it back to 3-3 showed what we are about. We pride ourselves on being a team that can go and do that.

“To go and concede in the way we did is one of those things that happen when you are down there. We won’t be playing the blame game or trying to find fault. All we can do is keep working to turn things our way.”

On positives to take: “That was the message in the dressing room between the lads and the gaffer.. It can almost get hidden when you lose like that, a lot of people on the outside would focus on the result, but for the 90 minutes before that we played well. We were for the majority of it the more dangerous team.”

On conceding: “That is something we have to work on. We pride ourselves on our press, getting after people, and I enjoy that, we can’t just accept that there will be chances at the other end. That is no way to stay in the division.”

On the goals from the bench: “We have a squad that are ready to come on and contribute at any given time. Liam [Delap] comes on and scores the goal to get us back in the game and he nearly does it again late on. We have to keep our heads held high and come back in on Monday morning ready to knuckle down.”

On his first Premier League goal: “Proud moment but it will get clouded a bit with the way we lost the game. But to get the first start was an aim of mine and to follow it up with a goal would have been sweeter if we had gone on to win the game or even take a point.”

Brentford’s Yoane Wissa speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Craziness is part of football, part of Brentford, part of the Gtech Stadium, part of the fans. We love it. This game means a lot for us because last year we would not win this kind of game, so we are very happy with the win today.”

On his goal(s): “I think it has been given as an own goal but I will apply for it. I shot at the target and if the defender did not touch the ball it would still go in so I need to find out with the commission if I can have the second one.

“The first goal gave us a needed boost because they did well to defend. After the first goal we knew we had to keep running and try hard to get something quickly. We got the second one just before half time and then just after the penalty.”

On getting the winner: “Psychologically it means a lot. We know the Premier League is never easy and it is crazy that with ten men they keep going and pushing. But we didn’t look back and tried to score again. Today the game was really long, almost 100 minutes across both halves, so we are very happy with the win and need to enjoy it.”

Here’s how fans reacted after the horror debut for Ipswich’s Harry Clarke with an own goal, a penalty conceded, and a red card in the 7 goal thriller at Brentford…

@Sean_FootyMad: One for the quiz questions in a few years

@Steve65462: Please get Walton back in that goal. Muric is embarrassing.

@Lakeyy___: Tough one to take, should’ve came home with a point. Injuries galore and a red don’t help

@StevenMoore95: Hard to give a back 4 any confidence when you got Muric flapping around and looking a liability any time the balls at his feet. Hirst and Delap up top together next game? 🚜

@ianb74: Clarke should really have been taken off earlier. Was always to much a risk after the 1st yellow.
#itfc

@paul1339: #ITFC very sorry but we are not good enough. And as for CLARKE!!! I would have to question Kieran’s decision around thinking he’s a premiership player. Absolutely not good enough sorry

@huntypainter: Harry Clarke humiliated himself with that performance

@KierenKerr: Only person who couldn’t see that coming was McKenna apparently. Fucking joke.

@mjaustin_: Laughably poor today 😴 #itfc

@romseypete: Better without him

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