A late winner from Michael Cole saw Fulham beat Brentford at Griffin Park this afternoon and climb into the play-off places.
The travelling fans celebrated deliriously when Cole pounced on a dreadful error from Brentford goalkeeper Tony Parks to settle a tense local derby. Parks came off his line to collect a Clive Walker corner but got nowhere near the ball allowing the striker to head into the unguarded net to the delight of the Fulham faithful.
Injury-hit Brentford began brightly in front of Griffin Park’s highest gate of the season but Tony Sealy was denied by a brave block by Jim Stannard after he latched onto a hopeful punt forward from Jamie Bates and burst clear of the Fulham defence. Stannard took a knock in the collision having been caught by Sealy’s studs and limped through the rest of the encounter – but you would never of known it as he made several excellent saves to keep a crucial clean sheet.
Stannard reacted wonderfully to repel a thunderous free-kick from Allan Cockram and then kept out headers from Colin Lee and Gary Blissett as the Bees buzzed around the Fulham penalty area. But the visiting defence, superbly marshalled by Jeff Eckhardt and Don Rougvie, held firm before Ray Lewington replaced the Whites’ record goalscorer Gordon Davies with Colin Gordon adding a greater physical threat to the away side’s attacks in the final quarter of a close contest.
Gordon posed different questions for a Brentford rearguard that had comfortably kept the Welshman quiet and the substitute cleverly won the corner off the legs of Andy Feeley that led to Cole’s decisive intervention.
BRENTFORD: Parks; Bates, Evans, Stanislaus (Ansah 72), Pearce, Feeley, Cockram, Lee, Godfrey, Blissett, Sealy. Sub (not used): Cadette.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Thomas, Rougvie, Langley, Marshall, Scott, Skinner, Walker, Cole, Davies (Gordon 73). Subs (not used): Wilson.
BOOKED: Rougvie.
GOAL: Cole (82).
REFEREE: Allan Gunn (Sussex).
ATTENDANCE: 10,851.
