Fired-up Mitrovic late sting for Bees as Fulham earn derby win

Fulham 3-2 Brentford

How Aleksandar Mitrovic will be hailed at Craven Cottage yet again.

From a position of authority, Fulham were in danger of squandering a two-goal lead in a high-octane west London derby, before a textbook header by the Serbian delivered all three points in a clash which didn’t disappoint.

Recovering from a first half onslaught by the hosts, boisterous Brentford came from behind to almost earn a draw, in what was a remarkable display of spirit. They did not account for Mitrovic, who is finding his Premier League groove following a goal plundering of the Championship.

The Cottagers ultimately earned their first Premier League success of 2022-23 with goals by Bobby Dercordova-Reid and Joao Palhinha’s header, before the last minute, gift-wrapped delivery from Mitrovic. Christian Norgaard volleyed in a timely goal on the stroke of half time for the Bees and Ivan Toney levelled in the second half.

Fulham couldn’t sustain their energy in the second half and found Brentford keeper David Raya in superb form, so it took something special to make the difference. Marco Silva’s men are all in this together.

On the other hand, this will be seen, overall, as a disappointment for Brentford manager Thomas Frank, given the paucity of their performance for large spells. Toney looked like he managed to earn a point – but a defiant, moral victory of sorts for the Bees was to be thwarted by another high profile, voracious forward.

Fulham started with a high energy press, similar to the strategy which served them well in their opening game of the season, a 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool. This was a chance to carve out their first league win of the season at the third attempt, and the possibility of doing so against their west London rivals was a particularly tempting one.

Brentford were absolutely buoyant, following their comprehensive – and now world famous – dismantling of an abject Manchester United last week.

With less than a minute gone, the Bees were physically diminished compared to the intensity of Fulham – the hosts dramatically opening the account.

Ecstatic

With Mitrovic menacing Frank’s men in customary fashion inside the penalty area, the ball fell to Decordova-Reid to bundle home after the ball came off the bar via Jay Stansfield’s deflected shot from close range. It wasn’t pretty, but the home fans were ecstatic.

Could Brentford somehow settle after such an early blow? Fulham’s commitment and willingness to to take risks going forward kept their momentum. Mitrovic tested Raya with a couple of efforts with the Bees’ rear guard unable to cope with the Cottagers’ strutting sorcerer. In the seventh minute, Andreas Pereira also fizzed a low shot from 25 yards which busy Raya – the last line of a bedraggled defence - held well.

And the visitors suffered a second blow in just 19 minutes when Fulham doubled their lead.

Palhinha, who has settled well already since his £17m summer move from Braga, rose to meet an Andreas Pereira corner to head home. The Portuguese eluded Bees’ skipper Pontus Jansson in the process; the desire to reach the invitingly flighted ball first, all too obvious. Silva’s outfit were in control in all departments and they fully merited the comfortable advantage.

Meanwhile, there looked like absolutely no way back into the game for punch drunk Brentford in the first half – they were outmanoevred in all respects – so it was quite the surprise to see them grab a goal back a minute before the break. Priceless in the circumstances.

In a rare bout of absent-mindedness by the Cottagers, Norgaard was left unmarked. And the enforcer’s effort, a fine strike, fastening on to a corner by Mathias Jensen, was well made in Denmark.

This was an opportunity for Brentford to retune, following what was a heated, taxing experience at the home of great rivals. Curiously, Toney was a marginal figure in the preceding 45 minutes, and Frank needed a way to get his men closer to the Bees’ forager-in-chief.

Controversy

Four minutes into the second half, Toney was dragged into controversy and Brentford fell victim of VAR. Bryan Mbuemo was judged to have been offside at the inception of a move which eventually transpired with Toney drilling into the corner of the net from Rico Henry’s pass. The Bees will have cause to feel aggrieved, amid a sequence which will be debated at length.

At the other end, Fulham re-emerged. Pereira, a niggly and nimble presence, curled an enticing free kick from 20 yards which had to be tipped over the bar by Raya.

Mitrovic was thwarted once again by Raya’s quick thinking, in a spell which was more even, although the visitors still struggled to create a major opening. But some signs were there.

Eventually, Brentford wiped out the two-goal deficit – and Toney’s intervention was, arguably, an atonement for the earlier VAR incident.

In the 70th minute, Fulham somehow switched off, allowing both Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa to raid down the right. And the latter eluded Tim Ream to cross, which was turned in by Toney from six yards, to the sheer delight of the Bees’ fans in the Putney end.

Raya denied Mitrovic again – until the 90th minute. Fulham substitute, Kevin Mbabu slung in a cross from the right, and the Serb timed his jump to perfection, directing a header beyond the reach of the Brentford keeper, low into the right hand corner. It was a moment of magic from Mitrovic, a classic Cottage cut.

For courage alone, Fulham deserved it. Brentford will have to rue this afternoon, but their season still holds much promise.

Cottagers: Leno, Tete (Mbabu 76), Tosin, Reed, Mitrovic (Duffy 90), Ream, Decordova-Reid, Pereira, Palhinha, Robinson, Stansfield (Cairney 76)

Bees: Raya, Hickey (Lewis-Potter 59), Henry, Norgaard, Jensen (Janelt 59), Dasilva (Baptiste 73), Wissa (Ghoddos 82), Mee, Toney, Jansson, Mbeumo