Second half goals from skipper Jamie Bates and Luther Blissett ensured Brentford progressed to the second round of the League Cup at the expense of local rivals Fulham – with the Bees winning 4-0 on aggregate.
Blissett battered the post with a trademark header just after the hour mark that rebounded for Bates to open the scoring from close range before rounding of the scoring with a sublime strike of his own. Fulham utility man Jeff Eckhardt was given his marching orders three minutes early after crudely cutting down Bates before man-of-the-match Brian Statham and Bob Booker were both cautioned as the derby reached a fiery denouement.
The Bees demonstrated why they are a division above Don Mackay’s side with winger Micky Bennett giving Simon Morgan the runaround from the outset. Bennett brought two terrific saves out of Jim Stannard in the first period, but Brentford – sitting on a two-goal cushion from the first leg at Craven Cottage – made too many poor decisions in the final third in a first half full of frustration. Fulham never looked like overturning their deficit – a la Oxford in 1989 – but at least kept a clean sheet until after the hour mark.
Their best chances came at the start of the second half when the visitors’ most stirring spell of the contest saw Graham Benstead save from Sean Farrell and Martin Ferney but any hope was extinguished when Bates stabbed home after Blissett had headed substitute Marcus Gayle’s free-kick against the woodwork.
Fulham were furious that Statham and Blissett escaped punishment for stamping on Eckhardt and Morgan respectively – a sense of injustice only heightened when the latter punished Glen Thomas’ untimely slip by shooting past Stannard to render the final five minutes academic.
Brentford boss Phil Holder was delighted with his side’s display afterwards, saying: “At the end of the day, we’ve moved into the next round at the expense of our local rivals by scoring four goals and not conceding any, which can’t be too bad, can it?”
BRENTFORD: Benstead; Statham, Hughton, Ratcliffe (Godfrey 80), Bates; Millen, Booker, Bennett, Smillie, Jones (M. Gayle 56), Blissett.
BOOKED: Statham, Booker.
GOALS: Bates (61), Blissett (85).
FULHAM: Stannard; Morgan, G. Thomas, Nebbeling (Onwere 70), Pike, Eckhardt, Ferney, Marshall, Hails, Baah, Farrell. Subs (not used): Newson.
BOOKED: Nebbeling.
SENT OFF: Eckhardt.
REFEREE: Mick Pierce.
ATTENDANCE: 4,806.
