Sting in the tale as Benrahma keeps his Bees buzzing
THE frenetic pace at which the Championship is usually played at might not yet be back but the excitement, general chaos and sheer unpredictability of it is.
For the best part of 88 minutes of this lunchtime game, Fulham had appeared the more likely side to claim their first three points following the return of second-tier football and gain on Leeds and West Brom.
But then this would not be the madcap league that it is if everything had a logical conclusion.
Two minutes were left on the clock when Said Benrahma, the player who Chelsea among many other of the Premier League’s big hitters have eyes on, snuck into the six-yard box to convert substitute Emiliano Marcondes’ cross.
‘Said is a top player in this division and an extremely important player for our team,’ said Brentford boss Thomas Frank.
Three minutes later and Benrahma set up Marcondes to seal what was hardly a convincing victory to move Brentford to within a point of third-placed Fulham and on course to finish in the play-offs.
Frank added: ‘We know if we want to have a chance to achieve what we’re dreaming about, Said and some of our top players need to hit top form.’
Such a victory against their west London rivals would usually be met with jubilant celebrations in the away end but these are strange times and Brentford’s players opted for a more subdued approach in front of visiting club staff.
A further reminder of the impact of coronavirus came in the form of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo missing the game after testing positive and going into isolation.
Brentford’s attacking threat — without Mbeumo — was largely nullified in the opening stages as Fulham adapted better to a slower than normal tempo.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, who was a little unrecognisable with a full head of hair but no less fiery in his approach on the pitch, did much of the early leg work for Fulham.
Not only did Fulham take to a more patient style of play, they also carved out a couple of good chances.
Bobby Reid struck the crossbar after Harrison Reed played him into space before Anthony Knockaert shot over. Those near misses would usually be greeted with gasps but instead they were replaced with solitary claps from stewards.
The l ack of supporters does, though, give those lucky enough to be in the stadium a level of insight they would not otherwise have.
‘He was always going to do that,’ shouted Brentford’s Ollie Watkins as Neeskens Kebano dropped his shoulder to get past Henrik Dalsgaard.
A rather high-pitched squeal came from Mitrovic as he tussled with Pontus Jansson before confronting referee James Linington.
It prompted a few knowing smiles just as when Denis Odoi shouted ‘oh s**t’ after the ball slipped out of his hands while taking a throw-in.
Mitrovic had the ball in the net after slotting in Reid’s low cross but he was offside when he started his run and the goal was disallowed.
The rustiness of a number of the players started to show towards the end. Reed, who had dictated a lot of
Fulham’s play from midfield, was forced off after pulling up with what appeared to be cramp.
‘Dig deep,’ Harry Arter said as he came on to replace his team-mate.
Words of advice that were followed by Benrahma and Marcondes, who combined to decide the match.
Benrahma reacted quickest to tap in after Marcondes passed across the face of Marek Rodak’s goal before the pair reversed roles, with Benrahma lofting the ball over to his Danish team-mate, who cut inside and fired past the Fulham stopper.
‘ It was a bit of a killer blow, a sucker punch and disappointing,’ said Fulham boss Scott Parker.