Match ends, Fulham 3, Brentford 2.
Aleksandar Mitrovic headed a late winner as Fulham beat Brentford to earn a first win in 25 top-flight London derbies.
Brentford had fought back from 2-0 down before Mitrovic, who earlier forced David Raya into a couple of fine saves, finally found his third goal of the season with a guided header at Craven Cottage.
Fulham had led after 44 seconds when Bobby Decordova-Reid tapped in from close range, before summer signing Joao Palhinha doubled their advantage with a thumping header.
Christian Norgaard may have been fortunate to avoid a red card for a late challenge on Jay Stansfield but he brought the visitors back into the game with a sweetly struck volley straight from a corner.
And Ivan Toney, who had two goals ruled out for offside, levelled just after the break in a first Premier League meeting between the two sides.
The Bees drop to fifth in the table, while a first win of the season means Fulham move up to fourth in the table.
The promoted side have made an unbeaten start to the season, but manager Marco Silva is still demanding more from his team.
"We believe in ourselves, our philosophy and in our way," said Silva.
"It's the most difficult and best league in the world, but once you're here you have to challenge, you have to embrace the challenge.
"We know there will be good moments and bad moments, and we have to keep reacting.
"We're pleased with how we've started the season, but we could even have had - and obviously would have wanted - more points."
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Cottagers edge entertaining derby
Brentford came into the derby in confident mood after cruising past Manchester United in their last game, but that enthusiasm quickly evaporated as Fulham took the lead in the first minute.
Premier League debutant Stansfield fired a shot, which popped up off the crossbar and Decordova-Reid turned in the loose ball to send the home fans into raptures.
Fulham went on to dominate the early stages and were worthy of a two-goal lead when the impressive Palhinha managed to produce a powerful header from a stationary jump.
It could have been worse for the Bees but Norgaard avoided punishment when he conceded a free-kick for a late challenge on Stansfield.
And it was the Danish midfielder who then pulled one back following a move off the training ground as he peeled of his marker to smash Bryan Mbeumo's corner past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno.
If Norgaard was lucky to remain on the field, so too was Palhinha, who only received a yellow for a late aerial challenge with Ben Mee which left the Brentford defender on the turf.
Brentford continued to push for the equaliser after the break and Toney surged clear twice in quick succession and shot into the bottom corner but was ruled offside, before his third attempt counted after a cushioned finish.
The hosts managed to wrestle back momentum and Mitrovic threatened twice, but his one-on-one opportunity after Norgaard's loose backpass was well-kept out by Raya, before the Brentford keeper also palmed away a header from the Serb.
But the Fulham frontman was not to be denied late on as rose highest to power a header into the corner and seal a first win of the season for the newly-promoted side.
Player of the match
MitrovicAleksandar Mitrovic
Fulham
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameMitrovicAverage rating
7.86
- Squad number18Player nameAndreas PereiraAverage rating
7.24
- Squad number27Player nameMbabuAverage rating
7.17
- Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-ReidAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number65Player nameStansfieldAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number26Player nameJoão PalhinhaAverage rating
6.94
- Squad number10Player nameCairneyAverage rating
6.88
- Squad number5Player nameDuffyAverage rating
6.64
- Squad number6Player nameReedAverage rating
6.59
- Squad number17Player nameLenoAverage rating
6.42
- Squad number33Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
6.36
- Squad number13Player nameReamAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number4Player nameTosinAverage rating
6.26
- Squad number2Player nameTeteAverage rating
6.24
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number17Player nameToneyAverage rating
7.38
- Squad number2Player nameHickeyAverage rating
7.20
- Squad number6Player nameNørgaardAverage rating
6.69
- Squad number10Player nameDasilvaAverage rating
6.60
- Squad number8Player nameJensenAverage rating
6.59
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
6.49
- Squad number23Player nameLewis-PotterAverage rating
6.47
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number14Player nameGhoddosAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number26Player nameBaptisteAverage rating
6.21
- Squad number16Player nameMeeAverage rating
6.19
- Squad number27Player nameJaneltAverage rating
6.16
- Squad number1Player nameRayaAverage rating
6.15
- Squad number3Player nameHenryAverage rating
6.11
- Squad number18Player nameJanssonAverage rating
6.03
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 17Leno
- 2TeteBooked at 31minsSubstituted forMbabuat 77'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 4Tosin
- 13Ream
- 33Robinson
- 6Reed
- 26João PalhinhaBooked at 29mins
- 65StansfieldSubstituted forCairneyat 77'minutes
- 18Pereira
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- 9MitrovicSubstituted forDuffyat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Rodák
- 5Duffy
- 10Cairney
- 12Chalobah
- 27Mbabu
- 31Diop
- 35Francois
- 37Ablade
- 38Harris
Brentford
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Raya
- 2HickeySubstituted forLewis-Potterat 59'minutes
- 18Jansson
- 16MeeBooked at 80mins
- 3Henry
- 10DasilvaBooked at 56minsSubstituted forBaptisteat 74'minutes
- 6Nørgaard
- 8JensenSubstituted forJaneltat 60'minutes
- 19Mbeumo
- 17Toney
- 11WissaSubstituted forGhoddosat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 14Ghoddos
- 15Onyeka
- 21Dervisoglu
- 22Strakosha
- 23Lewis-Potter
- 26Baptiste
- 27Janelt
- 29Bech Sørensen
- 30Roerslev
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 21,798
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away5
- Corners
- Home6
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Fulham 3, Brentford 2.
Booking
Kevin Mbabu (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Rico Henry (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Kevin Mbabu (Fulham).
Post update
Foul by Ivan Toney (Brentford).
Post update
Shane Duffy (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Shane Duffy replaces Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Goal!
Goal! Fulham 3, Brentford 2. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kevin Mbabu with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Cairney.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Harrison Reed (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Post update
Shandon Baptiste (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Harrison Reed (Fulham).
Post update
Offside, Fulham. Bernd Leno tries a through ball, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Saman Ghoddos replaces Yoane Wissa.
Post update
Attempt missed. Harrison Reed (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt saved. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Kevin Mbabu with a cross.
Booking
Ben Mee (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Ben Mee (Brentford).
Post update
Tom Cairney (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
He deserves to have a high scoring season to prove the critics wrong in that he's a quality striker.
Smashing the Championship scoring record by scoring 40+ goals in a 46 game season doesn't happen by fluke.
Arsenal fan here.
Last time they came up he hardly got a look in and they were relegated
I don’t think there can be many footballers who put in as much effort as he does
Would have lost that in previous years. Great result with attacking reniforcemtns on the way. COYW COYW!
You never know what's going to happen with football do you!