Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy bemoaned the 72nd minute penalty that consigned his mid-table battlers to defeat at Brentford.

The Tractor Boys set up for a 0-0 draw and the Bees were only able to clinch victory after a Neal Maupay penalty that came from Jonas Knudsen's shove on Sergi Canos in the box.

"Dean Smith has said they have deserved a pretty soft penalty and when managers say that it usually means they don't think it was one," claimed McCarthy.

"I can't do anything about it. I was happy with the performance and we played well today but again it's all down to fine margins."

McCarthy, who leaves the Portman Road club at the end of the season, admitted the situation was far from helpful.

"I can't image me going at end of season has helped, but you saw the way the players have played for me.

"They were terrific today and in the last three games but the atmosphere it has created is not good for anybody."

McCarthy added: "They were getting frustrated and the only down side is that we weren't good with the ball, but we didn't make the most of our opportunities to hurt them and the game has changed on a poor decision.

"When we did get a chance, their keeper has made a good save but we kept trying to do right thing."

Ipswich look set to be without centre back Luke Chambers after he was forced off with a cracked rib early on, but McCarthy joked: "He'll probably be in my office tomorrow asking to play."

McCarthy also had some words of praise for midfielder Luke Hyam, who endured 90 minutes of booing from the Griffin Park crowd in the wake of a horror tackle on Bees midfielder Alan Judge, who faced up against him for the first time since.

He said: "It was a very mature performance, an excellent emotionally good performance from someone who has had to endure constant abuse throughout the game. I told him 'welcome to my world'."

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