Fulham 2-1 Brentford
by Layth Yousif
at Craven Cottage
HARRY WILSON proved to be Fulham’s hero as the 27-year-old sparked a remarkable recovery on the banks of the Thames on Monday evening.
Wilson’s two goals in added time turned this west London derby on its head, in front of 24,931 fans at an atmospheric Craven Cottage.
The Welsh international was only introduced into the contest by boss Marco Silva with eight minutes remaining. At that stage, Thomas Frank’s battling Bees were holding onto a 1-0 lead, and appeared set to seal a hard-fought victory, courtesy of a stunning long-range effort from Vitaly Janelt in the first half.
That was before Wilson’s two last-gasp strikes prompted wild celebrations among the Fulham faithful, who saw their side move to ninth place in the Premier League.
Speaking after the match, a relieved Silva said: “It was definitely a deserved win,” the Cottagers head coach insisted. “We started on the front foot and dominated all game.” He added: “It was late, it should’ve been much before, but that’s football.”
Earlier, an immaculate rendition of The Last Post played at The Cottage before kick-off.
On five minutes, Reiss Nelson tested Bees’ keeper Mark Flekken with a low near post shot, after dovetailing well with fellow former Gunner Emile Smith Rowe along the left flank.
Nelson, who clearly still has a point to prove following his permanent move across the capital from north, to west London, powered through the Cottagers backline in a lively opening before falling flat at the end of his run.
It was Smith Rowe’s turn to test the Bees backline on 15 minutes, after linking up well with Antonee Robinson, prior to having his effort blocked, just as an opportunity to fire past Flekken honed into range.
Moments later Nelson’s quick feet saw him tear into the box past Bees’ Mads Roerslev leaving the visitors’ No30 bamboozled by such splendid trickery.
Yet, when the opening goal came, it was completely against the run of play. Bees’ Janelt angled a stunning left-footed long range drive that flew past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno and into the net to put Frank’s side 1-0 ahead after 24 minutes.
It was the turn of another former Arsenal attacker Alex Iwobi, scorer of a goal in a European final no less, who swapped flanks to provide a cross into the box. Smith Rowe played it on before Flekken bravely denied Nelson from close range three minutes before the break.
Moments before half-time Janelt tried his luck again, but Leno was equal to the task, turning the German attacker’s low shot past the post, as Frank’s side went into the interval 1-0 ahead.
Iwobi fired narrowly wide moments after the restart as the home side strove for parity. On 66 minutes, Kenny Tete tested Flekken.
Sandwiched between the two chances, just before the hour mark the Bees’ Keane Lewis-Potter’s effort flew narrowly past Leno’s far post, as Frank’s side aimed to puncture the home side’s dominance on the ball, if not in the scoreline.
As the clock ticked down it was Calvin Bassey’s turn to try and beat Flekken, but the Dutch keeper gathered safely, after substitute Adama Traore had worked space on the edge of the area for his colleague to shoot.
Following a flurry of substitutions, including the withdrawal of Nelson and Smith Rowe, with five minutes remaining, Joachim Andersen’s header was saved by Flekken, as a prelude to a series of brave blocks by the Bees’ backline, as Fulham’s exertions became ever more laced with desperation.
Basey then unleashed a powerful low drive that Flekken did well to parry before claiming, with Fulham hopes dwindling.
However, that was until 120 seconds into added time following 90 minutes, when a flash of inspiration from substitute Wilson saw the No8 steer the ball into the net past Bees’ keeper Flekken.
The action executed with an outrageous back-heel flick from Traore’s cross. Cue pandemonium in the Stevenage Road end, the juddering noise and intense celebrations shaking the wooden floor.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
Wilson became Fulham’s hero with his second goal in injury time after his header beat Flekken and make it 2-1, to cap a remarkable turnaround.
Brentford nearly stole it at the death, but Leno saved from Fabio Carvalho’s effort following Roerslev’s cross.
Speaking after the match, Bees’ phlegmatic boss Frank admitted the late goals were “brutal.”
Despite coming into the match having dropped more points from winning positions than any side in the division, the Dane admitted with candour: “I think it is fair to say that the better team won.”
Speaking about the opening goal Frank added: “It was an unbelievable touch – it is a one in a hundred that it goes into the net. That we tried to win it again – and we lost it.”
