'Devasted... but a step in the right direction' - McKenna on 4-3 loss at Brentford

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes his side's performance in this afternoon's dramatic 4-3 defeat at Brentford shows his team is 'back on the right track'.

The Blues led 2-0 through expertly taken goals from Sammie Szmodics and George Hirst, but were pegged level late in the first half before Bryan Mbeumo put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot early in the second period.

Harry Clarke, whose own goal made it 2-2 and foul led to 3-2, was subsequently dismissed for a controversial second yellow card. Substitute Liam Delap netted a late leveller for the 10 man visitors, but Mbuemo's cross somehow crept inside the far post in the sixth minute of stoppage-time.

"It was an incredible game and it's obviously a mixture of emotions," said McKenna. "I have great pride in the performance. The quality and resilience that we've shown following a really challenging week led to so many good things. We score three goals away from home and could have had a couple more.

"But, of course, it's extreme disappointment and devastation about the late goal that means we don't get any points for our efforts.

"Look, we always try and take the positives from things and I think we did so many things today that showed we are back on the right track (after disappointing defeats to West Ham and Everton).

"We showed our real identity as a team from a mental and tactical point of view. Although we didn't get any points to show for it, I think it was a real step in the right direction. If we show those things on a consistent basis then we'll be competitive in the majority of the games and have a chance to pick up points."

Captain Sam Morsy, club record signing Omari Hutchinson and Jack Taylor joined Ben Johnson (thigh), Axel Tuanzebe (thumb), Jacob Greaves (hamstring) and Massimo Luongo (unstated) in being unavailable for this game. Chiedozie Ogbene was then stretchered off midway through the first half.

"Samy picked up a hamstring strain in the Everton game that he managed to finish the game with, but wasn't available for this one," revealed McKenna.

"The plan was for Jack Taylor to come in for Samy, because Jens (Cajuste) hasn't trained much with the group yet, but he picked up an injury at the back end of the training week, which is disappointing for him and us. I thought Jens was outstanding, I have to say, having barely trained since the (knee) injury he sustained in the Southampton game. He really pushed through for the team. It was an incredible effort.

"Omari was due to start the game, but was sick in the early hours and through the morning. That was another late change.

"With Chieo it looks like an Achilles tear. We hope that won't be the case, but I think that's what looks most likely.

"There's been a lot of disruption, but that makes me even more proud of the performance and the mentality we showed as a team."

Asked if he felt VAR was right to award Brentford a penalty after referee Lewis Smith initially awarded a foul outside the box, McKenna said: "I really don't want to talk about the decisions to be honest. I talked about them last week. I think it's another marginal decision that VAR gets in the middle of. I could say the contact started outside, somebody else could say that the contact continued inside. What's the point? I think it would take away from an outstanding game. I can only trust that we'll get the balance of decisions over the season."

On Clarke's dismissal for a second booking, when it looked like he might have got the ball on the edge of the box, the Blues boss said: "I've not seen that one back, so I don't know whether he's got a touch on the ball or not. If he hasn't got a touch on the ball there probably can't be too many complaints. If he got a touch then it's probably not a yellow card. Our focus needs to be on defending both situations better in the first place."

Reflecting on Szmodics' saved one-on-one chance to make it 3-0, McKenna added: "It was a big chance, no doubt about it. Two-nil up away from home is never a safe result, especially against Brentford who can attack in waves when they get momentum, but 3-0 is a lot harder to come back from. It's a good save from the keeper after a well-executed press from us. It is what it is. Sammie took his earlier goal brilliantly."