Fulham claim west London bragging rights
Sone Aluko and Tom Cairney settled the west London derby as Fulham sank neighbours Brentford 2-0 at Griffin Park.
Aluko hit his third goal of the season in the first half and Cairney struck in injury-time to seal a deserved win for the visitors from just along the Thames.
The Bees had tasted derby success the previous Friday night when won 2-0 at QPR, but missed the chance to make it a double and move into the play-off spots.
Instead Fulham, with just six wins from 16 games this season, are now up to seventh and outside the top six only on goal difference.
Aluko was at the heart of every Fulham attack in a dominant first half and got his reward in the 36th minute.
The summer signing from Hull had already got on the end of Chris Martin's header back across goal only to see his shot deflected wide.
Aluko curled another effort wide when he should have hit the target, and then crashed a shot against the supporting pole behind Daniel Bentley's goal.
But when his fourth chance arrived - or rather his fifth - Aluko made no mistake.
Lucas Piazon fed Stefan Johansen down the right-hand side of the area and the Norwegian pinged a low cross to Aluko, lurking on the edge of the box.
The forward's initial shot was parried by Bentley but the ball kindly fell back at the feet of Aluko who slid in to bundle home the rebound.
It was no more than Fulham deserved from a first half during which Brentford did not manage a single shot at goal.
So much so visiting keeper David Button had nothing to do but listen to the jeers from home fans, unhappy at his decision to leave Griffin Park for their rivals in the summer.
Fulham could have had more before the break but the impressive Cairney curled an early effort over and had another drive saved by Bentley, with Piazon blazing the rebound over.
Brentford improved in the second half and finally forced a save out of Button on the hour mark, when Josh Clarke raced through, although his unconvincing shot was comfortably dealt with.
Moments later Clarke got free again and this time brought a fine near-post save from Button, before the midfielder scuffed the rebound back across goal.
But Fulham weathered the late storm and then in stoppage time wrapped up the points on the counter-attack as Martin fed Cairney to slot in the second.
Source : PA
Source: PA