Breathless encounter sees Fulham hit back to claim double in west London's increasingly febrile derby
- By Yann Tear at the Gtech Community Stadium
- May 18
- 4 min read
Brentford (2) 2 Mbeumo 22, Wissa 44
Fulham (1) 3 Jimenez 16, Cairney 68, Wilson 70
Fulham defied their poor recent run of results to scupper Brentford's bid to avenge a thrilling last-gasp win for the Whites when the sides met at Craven Cottage.
And once again it was Harry Wilson the catalyst for a delirious afternoon for Whites fans in the west London derby that grows ever more fractious and seemingly ever-more important. There were eight bookings in this feisty encounter.
In a game where the lead changed three times, the Bees seemed to have made light of a first ever penalty miss from Bryan Mbeumo to take a 2-1 lead but subs Tom Cairney and Wilson turned the game on its head.
It was a huge anti-climax for Bees fans, but they need to look back with pride on another thrill-ride at the Gtech this season where an amazing 75 goals have come in 19 Premier League games. Almost four per game. That's entertainment, as Paul Weller might say.
This was a game which ultimately did not quite go with the form book as the Bees attempted to make it five wins in a row - a record last achieved by them in the top flight back in 1939.
For the Whites, European ambition had given way to a sickly run-in of five defeats in six games which has surely flagged up the need for a bit of a spring-clean during the close season. But on the other hand, a fine cameo from Josh King - another of the subs - suggests there are still some good future stars around for them.
This was a game denied some of its significance because of Crystal Palace's snaffling of a Europa League slot by winning yesterday's FA Cup final.
It rendered this game a bit less relevant in the bigger scheme of things, although eighth place could still be enough to get into the Conference League, if the final results for Chelsea make it possible.
Yet, this local rivalry is never going to be a redundant affair when there is so much enmity between the clubs. When Fulham's in-house radio commentators in the neutral press box transmitted their delight at that penalty miss by the hosts, some Bees fans took exception and began gesturing furiously.
The Whites drew first blood in this wonderful encounter when Adama Traore swung in a cross from the right and Raul Jimenez rose above Nathan Collins to head low past Mark Flekken - the keeper unable to stop in going in despite getting a glove to the ball.
But the Bees were soon level with their all-too familiar striking combination. Yoane Wissa, who had already forced a save from Bernd Leno after being found in the box by Mikkel Damsgaard, slipped the ball to his right instinctively to his great mate Mbeumo and the rolled shot inside the far post gave Fulham's keeper no chance.
It was his 19th goal of the campaign and ought to have been followed by his 20th soon after.
Two minutes after the equaliser, referee Jarrad Gillett decided a pull back on Kevin Schade's arm by Joachim Andersen warranted a penalty but Leno dived to his right to deny Mbeumo after his familiar stuttering run-up.
It was the Cameroonian's first failure from 12 yards since he assumed the duties following Ivan Toney's departure. He'd put away 11 out of 11 before this.
Wissa's liveliness was a thrilling part of the game but the striker was very lucky not to see red just before the interval, when he upended Antonee Robinson moments after picking up a yellow card for preventing a quick throw-out by Leno.
As it was, he was in just the right place to tap in just before the turn-around after a long throw-in from Michael Kayode had been headed back across goal by Christian Norgaard.
Cairney came on to add a bit of control to a Fulham midfield lacking guile - with both Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe having off days - but it was a rare goal contribution from him with an even rarer header which sparked the Whites back to life.
Wilson and Josh King, who had also come off the bench, immediately injected hope and energy and they were involved in the build up as Kenny Tete's cross was met by Cairney's leap and nod past Flekken.
And in the very next attack, the Bees defence backed off as Wilson let fly from outside the box - a swerving shot wrong-footing the Bees keeper as the ball found the net.
It sent the away end into raptures and ensured Brentford's last-game post-match lap of honour would be a slightly subdued affair - though the applause was predictably warm as boss Thomas Frank addressed fans at the end to thank them for their support and express pride at the way things have gone in this campaign.
But this has been a season where both sides have had their moments. For Fulham, two of them have come against Brentford.
Bees: (4-2-3-1) Flekken - Kayode (Ajer 63), Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter (Thiago 76) - Norgaard, Yarmoliuk (Jensen 76) - Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade (Henry 76) - Wissa
Whites: (4-2-3-1) Leno - Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson (Cuenca 89) - Berge (Cairney h/t), Lukic - Traore (Sessegnon 80), Smith Rowe (King 67), Iwobi (Wilson 67) - Jimenez
Attendance: 17,136
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