Brentford squandered a golden opportunity to break into the Premier League’s top six after being held to a frustrating goalless draw by west London rivals Fulham.
In a largely uninspiring derby, the Bees created the better chances but failed to convert.
Top scorer Igor Thiago came closest in the early stages, glancing a header off the post, while Keane Lewis-Potter wasted a clear-cut chance from close range.
Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno then produced a superb late save to deny Dango Ouattara and secure a point for the visitors.
The result extends Brentford’s unbeaten run to five matches, all of which have ended in draws, keeping them in contention for European qualification. It also halts a streak of three straight defeats against their neighbours.
The match also marked a return to familiar territory for former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who was in attendance following his dismissal from Tottenham earlier this year.
Watching alongside owner Matthew Benham and sporting director Phil Giles, Frank saw a side that has continued to progress since his departure.
Brentford started brightly and nearly took the lead inside 10 minutes when Mathias Jensen delivered a precise cross that Thiago headed narrowly wide.
The Brazilian forward soon tested Fulham’s defence again, beating Calvin Bassey before being denied by a timely intervention from Joachim Andersen.
Fulham had their moments too. Alex Iwobi and Tom Cairney combined well to set up Ryan Sessegnon, but the wing-back fired over the bar. Iwobi’s outing was cut short soon after, as he was forced off with a hamstring issue before half-time.
Just before the break, Lewis-Potter carved out another big chance for Brentford but again failed to hit the target from close range.
The hosts continued to press after the restart, with Ouattara forcing a routine save from Leno, while Mikkel Damsgaard sent a speculative volley narrowly wide. Captain Nathan Collins also went close, heading just off target in what would have been a memorable 100th appearance.
Late drama followed when Fulham’s Harry Wilson avoided punishment for a reckless challenge before missing a chance of his own moments later.
However, the defining moment came in stoppage time, as Leno reacted brilliantly to keep out Ouattara’s close-range effort, ensuring the spoils were shared in a derby that ultimately lacked cutting edge.
