download All Football App

Fulham promoted to Premier League after defeating Brentford 2-1 in play-off final

  /  autty

For a few torturous moments, silence enveloped this deserted stadium.

After 105 minutes, in which both Brentford and Fulham had refused to twist, Joe Bryan took a gamble and hit the £135million jackpot.

With the defender over a free-kick, 40 yards from goal, everyone – including Brentford keeper David Raya - awaited the cross. Instead, Bryan curled straight for the near post. Raya scrambled, hearts stood still and then? Bedlam on the Fulham bench.

In the final moments, Bryan took another punt. With his side hanging on to their slender lead, he ventured forward once more.

After a long ball, he picked up possession and drove towards the box. He exchanged passes with Mitrovic and made no mistake from the angle.

And so this year-long tussle for promotion - between two sides boasting the Championship’s most prolific forwards – was eventually settled by a left back with one league goal before last night.

His second and third have earned Fulham a ticket back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.Henrik Dalsgaard headed in a late consolation but it was too little, too late for Brentford, who have enjoyed a fairytale campaign and who pride themselves on marginal gains at set pieces.

The wounds of this defeat – which extends their 73-year wait for top-flight football - could take a while to heal.

Now without a win in nine attempts, Brentford have the worst record in playoff history.

Yet, until Bryan’s extra-time heroics, this had been a nervy, tetchy final which took an already-elongated season into yet more overtime.

Parker knew his year-long rebuild would be judged on this night alone, so the decision to leave Aleskandar Mitrovic on the bench until the 90th minute was a brave one.

Yes, last week’s semi-final second-leg defeat by Cardiff was the first loss in eight Championship matches the striker has missed this season. But without his 26 goals, Fulham’s dreams of an immediate return to the top flight would have died long before now.

When he has been absent, Parker has needed others to provide the same blend of quality and clout. Midfielder Josh Onomah provided just that against Cardiff and again here he had three chances to be an early hero.

With Aboubakar Kamara leading the line tirelessly, Fulham started the quicker and on four minutes, Onomah drove from the halfway line and unleashed a shot from distance.

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya was equal to it but soon he gifted Parker’s side another opening. From a heavy back pass, Raya could only stab the ball to Bobby Decordova-Reid inside his own area.

Eventually the ball squirmed to Onomah, the goal gaping. Instead he looked to pass and the chance went begging. But with Brentford struggling to gain a foothold, the midfielder didn’t have to wait long for another sight of goal.

This time, Tom Cairney’s neat reverse ball found Onomah inside the box; this time, Raya dug out a smart one-handed save down to his right.Though on terms, Brentford could hardly keep the ball, let alone build any pressure.

Their press was being bypassed, their 59-goal forward line feeding off the odd long ball. Perhaps, given the chasm in experience of occasions like this, it’s no surprise they took longer to settle.

But midway through the first half, they created a chance a last. From the right, Mathias Jensen’s teasing cross was floating towards the head of Bryan Mbeumo when Michael Hector found a vital header to avert the danger.

It was a deft touch from the centre back. Harrison Reed’s contact with Christian Norgaard’s ankle minutes later?

Anything but. Sliding to collect a loose ball, studs up, the Fulham midfielder crashed into his opposite number. He was given a yellow but had VAR been in-play – as Frank has demanded – the boys at Stockley Park would have had a call to make.Without that helping hand, Brentford continued to stutter.

There were none of the relentless waves of attack that have carried them this far. None of the attacking sparkle and little defensive solidity, either.Instead it was Parker’s side with their patient passing and neat interplay who occasionally enlightened a game struggling to catch fire.

Then, moments into the second half, the pocket of Fulham faces inside Wembley thought that pressure had finally paid off.After Decordova-Reid was fouled just outside the box, Neeskens Kebano fired a free-kick towards goal.Against Cardiff, he found the back of the net.

Here, his effort curled just the wrong side of the post. Frank had claimed Brentford were so ready that it wouldn’t matter what he said in the dressing room.But as his side threatened to freeze on a third shot at promotion, they yearned from inspiration from somewhere.

Instead, on the hour, they were given only another let-off. A Fulham cross the right found its way to Decordova-Reid, who brought the ball down but blazed high and wide from 10 yards out.

Frank then blinked first, breaking up BMW by bringing on Emiliano Marcondes for Mbeumo.

Not long after coming on, the substitute was given an inviting chance to open the scoring. A Brentford corner hit the arm of Hector on the way through but nothing was given. Instead the ball came out to Said Benrahma, who was clattered by Cairney 25 yards out.

The midfielder was given a yellow card and Marcondes’ wayward free-kick did not test Marek Rodak.

With 18 minutes to go, though, Watkins finally gave the Fulham keeper a save to make.For the first time the forward found himself in space and from the edge of the box, he unleashed a fierce shot which needed tipping over.

Watkins had a glorious chance right at the start of extra-time but from Sergi Canos’ low cross, he couldn’t find the target.

At the other end, Mitrovic couldn’t buy a sniff, either. Instead it was Bryan who found the quality when it mattered.

Related: FulhamBrentford