Brentford 2 Ipswich Town 0
John Egan was the unlikely two-goal hero as Brentford bagged their first win of the new campaign at home to Ipswich Twon this afternoon.
The centre-back, a summer signing from Gillingham, capitalised on two second half set pieces to give the Bees a much-needed confidence booster.
Indeed, following a nervy first half in which Dean Smith's men played some good stuff but also looked vulnerable, Egan's brace gave them the cushion needed for a dominant second half display featuring some lovely football.
At the centre of it was the Bees' midfield trio of Ryan Woods, Nico Yennaris and Romaine Sawyers, who along with the brilliant Lewis Macleod, was at the centre of some thrilling moves.
But it was Ipswich who had the best chance of a goalless first half, Dan Bentley twice getting down well to save from Grant Ward and Callum Elder clearing the danger with a last-ditch block.
For the Bees, Josh Clarke fired widly wide when well placed, while Macleod went close just before the break after some fine play from Scott Hogan.
However, Brentford took the lead a minute after the break when Egan headed home unmarked from a corner from the right for his first Bees goal, and the defender doubled both his tally and his side's lead 10 minutes later when he gobbled up the rebound after a superb Yennaris shot after another corner was palmed away by visiting keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
Macleod came close to making the game safe for Brentford with a brilliant first time effort which Bialkowski did well to tip over for a corner, before the same player almost caught the Town keeper out off his line, but Bialkowski got back to save his effort.
Former Bee Jonathan Douglas came on late for Ipswich to a mixed reaction of booing followed by applause, but not even he could get his side back into the game, despite a couple of probes, as the Bees ran out deserved winners.
