Damsgaard strikes first but Brentford undone by a ruthless Fulham swing

Brentford had the derby exactly where they wanted it early on at Craven Cottage. Mikkel Damsgaard coolly punished a blind pass from Fulham’s Josh King to put the Bees ahead, and Keith Andrews’ side appeared primed to control the rhythm and lean on their familiar strengths.

But two minutes of uncertainty turned the night. Alex Iwobi levelled and then released Harry Wilson to make it 2-1 inside 98 seconds, and an Ethan Pinnock own goal shortly after half-time left Brentford with too much to do. A late reprieve came when VAR ruled out a fourth for Fulham after contact on Nathan Collins, yet the points had already slipped away in a 3-1 defeat that extends Brentford’s winless away start.

From alert pressing to a brutal two‑minute swing

The opener embodied the good in Brentford’s start: front-foot intent and a clinical edge. King’s cross-field pass was picked off and Damsgaard guided a low finish into the corner past Bernd Leno. It was the third straight season the Bees scored first at Craven Cottage, and the platform looked solid.

The pivot came quickly. Fulham’s equaliser arrived amid defensive hesitation as a looping effort broke kindly and Iwobi drove his shot through Collins’ legs and beyond Caoimhin Kelleher. Before Brentford could reset, Collins scuffed a header, Rodrigo Muniz surged forward and fed Iwobi, whose angled pass split the defence for Wilson to strike first time. Andrews would later lament the failure to manage the moment: concede one, but not another immediately.

Misfortune compounds, and a VAR reprieve arrives too late

A difficult restart deepened the task. Five minutes into the second half, Ryan Sessegnon’s zipping cross flashed through the six-yard area and a stooping Pinnock, with almost no reaction time, inadvertently headed into his own net off his shoulders. It summed up a spell when indecision proved costly.

There was at least a lifeline on the hour when Muniz’s rasping finish for 4-1 was overturned. Michael Oliver, on VAR advice, ruled that the Brazilian’s trailing elbow in the buildup left Collins with a bloody mouth. That decision kept the scoreline respectable, but it didn’t spark a backlash with real jeopardy for Fulham.

Lessons for Andrews as away form bites

Andrews’ blueprint—restrict, compete on set plays, and spring when chances arise—was visible in passages, but execution faltered at critical junctures. After the interval Brentford mustered five attempts, two on target, yet Leno was seldom stretched. The head coach spoke of building a new team and the need to stem momentum swings; the second goal, in particular, stung.

Numbers underline the challenge. Brentford have now lost eight points from winning positions this season and have started with three away defeats from three, a run that drops them to 17th. There were positives—Damsgaard’s finish, periods of control, the VAR escape—but managing the next surge in a game’s rhythm is the fix that must follow, especially with a demanding schedule ahead.

There is no shortage of resolve in this group, and the derby began with the right intent. Turning bright starts into complete performances is the next step, and the lesson from the Cottage was stark: tighten the moments between setbacks, and the results will follow.

Attention turns quickly to Manchester United’s visit next; Brentford’s response to this swing will say plenty about Andrews’ emerging side.

The margins weren’t all self-inflicted—Pinnock’s own goal owed much to the speed of delivery—but cohesion inside the penalty area and calm after concessions are the non-negotiables to address.