Paul Hurst hails Ipswich character

Ipswich manager Paul Hurst praised his side for staying in the game to draw 1-1 with an “excellent” Brentford side.

The home side are still looking for their first win of the season as they remain at the foot of the Championship table.

Neal Maupay gave Brentford a 31st-minute lead before the home side replied with a header by Kayden Jackson in the 73rd.

The visitors dominated the first half and should have led by more than the solitary goal, but the home side came back into the game in the second period and could have won it at the death when Jackson was clear on goal but shot wide.

Hurst said: “We tried something different but clearly it didn’t work the way we would have liked. They are an excellent side and it was a daunting challenge.

“We came up against a team that was full of confidence and have got some excellent players playing at the top of their game, and they will probably be disappointed that they didn’t get another goal when they were on top.

“We changed things at half-time and the formation can help but at the same time the lads have to show a lot of character and big credit to them for staying in the game.

“We came up against a team that were very good but the result gave us a lift.

“To be 1-0 down, it could have been a really, really difficult night but we scored a really good goal and had the best chance to win the game.”

The match was preceded by a minute’s applause for former Ipswich and England defender Kevin Beattie, who died of a suspected heart attack this week, with a number of former team-mates present to pay tribute.

The noisy atmosphere continued into the match and Hurst said: “Overall the crowd was good, frustrated but stayed with it and created a good atmosphere.”

Brentford manager Dean Smith was disappointed his team could not find the killer second goal when they were on top in the first half.

He said: “It was (a feeling) of disappointment – it feels like we lost two points here today.

“The first half we were outstanding, to go to any club in the league and to dominate the game as we did, but the important thing is to take those chances that we had in the first half and we did not take them.

“If we got the second goal it would be game over but unfortunately we expended a lot of energy in that first half. In the second half they changed shape and were quite effective and ended up getting the goal from a cross.

“They have got good players here, it’s just that they have not had the results. We knew they would try and change something but I thought our players were very brave on the ball, very crisp and the disappointing thing was the final ball.

“We need to take those big chances when they come along because that’s what wins you games.”