FULHAM BACK IN THE PREMIERSHIP AS BRENTFORD’S LOWER DIVISION STAY EXTENDS TO 74TH YEAR

Oh! Poor Brentford! They scored in the final moment of the encounter that dragged into extra time, but the goal changed nothing.

Their stay in the lower cadre of English football is further elongated as they failed to secure promotion into the English Premier League in Tuesday’s night Championship playoff.

For 73 years they have been absent in the English top league division. Meanwhile, Fulham, 2-1 winners are back in the Premier League and also have a prize money of  £160m.

After a goalless 90 minutes, Joe Bryan stole the headlines with a sensational double in extra-time. His first was an incredible 40-yard free kick, in which he caught out Brentford goalkeeper David Raya. His second was just as impressive as he bombed forward late on to finish a delightful team move. 

A devastating end to Brentford’s season, who scored in the final moments but to no avail.

Fulham’s opening goal will be a talking point for long. With Bees goalkeeper David Raya expecting Bryan to cross the free-kick from fully 40 yards, the Fulham star struck the ball inside the goalkeeper’s right-hand post to trigger scenes of jubilation from his teammates and manager Scott Parker.

And Bryan doubled his tally in the closing minutes, playing a neat one-two with substitute striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to finish on his weaker right foot and seal the victory.

Henrik Dalsgaard headed home to half the deficit with almost the last touch of the game, but it is Fulham who make an immediate return to the top flight after relegation last year, netting £135million in the process.

Defeat capped a heartbreaking end to the season for Thomas Frank’s side, who lost each of their final two games of the regular season to miss out on automatic promotion