Brentford 1-2 Fulham: Championship play-off final – as it happened

5.57pm EDT 17:57

Thomas Frank speaks: ““First I would like to say congratulations to Fulham, Scott Parker, his coaching staff and everyone involved,” he tells the media.

“Of course it’s tough when you lose a final like this in a very tight game but I’m extremely proud of my players. We have gone from a mid-table club to a team who, in the league table, was the third-best team.

“We are very fine margins away from the Premier League, which is an incredible achievement from us.”

5.55pm EDT 17:55

Match report: Brentford 1-2 Fulham (AET)

Ben Fisher was at Wembley for the Guardian tonight – here’s how he saw the action unfold.

Fulham in Premier League after Joe Bryan sinks Brentford in extra time

5.52pm EDT 17:52

Scott Parker speaks …

“I feel emotional,” says Fulham’s young manager to Sky Sports. “The journey you go on, the ups and downs. Along the way the disappointment, I’m the face who fronts up but behind the scenes is a support network of people that keep you going in those times and those moments.

“That’s why I feel emotional, I feel for the people who aren’t here, the people who’ve supported the team and me as manager, sometimes you’ve not always got that and I’m very proud of my team, so so proud of them.

“I’ve learned so much this season. I’m sure I’ll be learning until my career as a manager ends, but this season couldn’t have got much tougher. I’ve said it many times about the team and where we were a year ago. We had some big, open wounds that probably from the outside no-one saw.

“There were some deep-rooted issues in the club which come with relegation, losing a lot of matches, and that needed to be addressed. They’re still there, we’ve done what we’ve done tonight, but there’s still improvement needed.

“That’s what makes me so proud and happy, that for all the good players and everything you see, what makes me happy is seeing a group of players who were struggling psychologically a year ago. Who didn’t have a mindset to drive and drive this team every single day, and I see a team tonight that represents what I’ve been saying over the last year.”

5.45pm EDT 17:45

A sad night for Brentford: They had a game against Stoke City to get promoted and lost. That was followed by a game against Barnsley to get promoted, which they lost. Then they had a game against Fulham to get promoted and lost that one too.

They were nowhere near their best tonight and Fulham ran out worthy winners in the end. That’s nine times Brentford have contested the play-offs over the years and nine times they’ve failed to come through them.

5.36pm EDT 17:36

Joe Bryan – potty mouth: It’s worth noting that Joe Bryan dropped an F-bomb in his post-match interview and immediately apologised. Despite this, his interrogator went on to apologise after he’d apologised. It’s probably fair to say that any children who are still up at 10.35pm have probably heard that kind of language before.

5.32pm EDT 17:32

Tom Cairney speaks: “I can’t put it into words,” says Fulham’s captain, before putting it into words. “It feels special. We got written off a bit this year, no one talked about us, they talked about Brentford and Leeds. It shows the spirit in the dressing room, not many teams bounce back up. I knew we had that performance in us, all season when we needed to win we’ve done it when it mattered.

And on Fulham’s vanquished opponents: “Brentford are a great side, a pleasure to watch and these were the two best sides in the Championship play-off final,” he says.

5.31pm EDT 17:31

The trophy lift: The champagne corks pop and Tom Cairney shows Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang how it’s done, hoisting the play-off final trophy final trophy towards the Wembley night sky as his team-mates pogo behind him.

5.29pm EDT 17:29

Joe Bryan speaks: “I’m not the hero, every single one of them, fans and people around us who has been with us all season is,” the two-goal not-the-hero tells Sky Sports. “We’ve been written off five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 times. I think I read somewhere we were supposed to be scared of them.”

Speaking about the game, he has this to say: “We took it to them, we scored twice. They made it hard for us but they’re a good team and they’ve been playing really well. I can’t believe we made it straight back up.”

5.26pm EDT 17:26

They got there in the end. It was largely dreadful game and spectacle, poor on quality and played in an empty Wembley. For all that, it finally perked up at the end, with Joe Bryan spotting Brentford goalkeeper David Raya standing off his line anticipating a cross from his free-kick and whipping the ball past the Spaniard from about 35 yards.

5.22pm EDT 17:22

Full time at Wembley: Brentford 1-2 Fulham (AET)

Fulham are promoted to the Premier League and their players celebrate accordingly. Those of Brentford, who have missed out on promotion for the third time in recent weeks, slump to the turf in despair.

The Fulham players celebrate victory and promotion to the Premier League. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Updated at 5.26pm EDT

5.20pm EDT 17:20

GOAL! BRENTFORD 1-2 FULHAM (Dalsgaard)

Brentford pull a goal back at the death, Dalsgaard nodding home a header across the face of goal from Norgaard. It’s not going to be enough though, as Martin Atkinson has just blown his final whistle.

5.18pm EDT 17:18

ET30+2: Knockaert attacks on the counter and crosses for Cavaleiro, who is up in support. Raya is quick off his line to block.

5.17pm EDT 17:17

ET30: There’ll be four minutes of added time but Brentford’s players know the jig is up. They look absolutely devastated, none more so than Said Benrahma, who has not played well tonight but is likely to be a player in big demand during the transfer window.

5.15pm EDT 17:15

ET29: The left-footed left-back finishes a neat passing move with his right foot from close range to fire Fulham back into the Premier League and crush Brentford’s dreams of playing top flight football for the first time since 1947. Following a one-two with Mitrovic he slots the ball under Raya having run practically the full length of the pitch to get involved.

5.13pm EDT 17:13

GOAL! Brentford 0-2 Fulham (Bryan 117)

Bryan scores again and Brentford’s dream has died.

Joe Bryan slots in his second. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 5.21pm EDT

5.12pm EDT 17:12

ET27: Rodak gets down to save a speculative effort from Ethan Pinnock.

5.11pm EDT 17:11

ET25: Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak goes down with cramp. No, really – a goalkeeper with cramp. He wastes another few seconds before Martin Atkinson tells him to leave the field for treatment or crack on. He cracks on, unsurprisingly.

5.09pm EDT 17:09

ET23: Brentford have a free-kick just outside the Fulham penalty area, in line with the the left edge. Benrahma tries to whip the ball towards the far corner, but the defensive wall swallows it up.

5.08pm EDT 17:08

ET21: Fulham attack on the break with Ivan Cavaleiro on the ball. Brentford put a stop to the gallop of the substitute I failed to spot replacing Kamara at half-time in extra time. Apologies.

5.06pm EDT 17:06

ET19: Fulham double-substitution: Maxime Le Marchand and Cyrus Christie replace Josh Onomah and Denis Odoi. Fulham switch to a back five in a bid to protect their lead.

5.04pm EDT 17:04

ET18: Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak, who has had surprisingly little to do tonight, claims a Henrik Dalsgaard cross confidently and lies on the ground with the ball clutched to his chest in order to waste a few precious seconds.

5.02pm EDT 17:02

ET16: Brentford get the ball rolling, staring down the barrel of defeat in the biggest game in their history. Brentford substitutions: Halil Dervisoglu replaced Mathias Jensen just before the break, while Tarique Fosu has just come on for Rico Henry.

5.00pm EDT 17:00

Half-time in extra time: Brentford 0-1 Fulham

Fulham have a one-goal lead to protect and they probably deserve it.

4.58pm EDT 16:58

ET5+1: From about 35 yards out, almost in line with the left side of the Brentford box, Joe Bryan scores. Brentford goalkeeper David Raya was expecting the Fulham defender to cross his free-kick and had left a gaping space between himself and his right upright. Spotting the gap, Bryan whipped the ball towards it and caught the wrongfooted goalkeeper completely unawares.

Joe Bryan’s free-kick wrongfoots Bren tford goalkeeper David Raya. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 5.09pm EDT

4.56pm EDT 16:56

GOAL! Brentford 0-1 Fulham (Bryan 105)

Fulham are in the lead and that’s a brilliant bit of quick thinking from Joe Bryan.

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya is caught unawares by the free-kick from Fulham’s Joe Bryan. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Updated at 5.06pm EDT

4.55pm EDT 16:55

ET14: It’s getting spicy out there. Now Mitrovic is booked for shoving Marcondes before the free-kick is taken.

4.54pm EDT 16:54

ET13: Fulham play it quickly and long, catching Raya well out of his penalty area. His header is poor and Onomah pounces. Norgaard takes him out and gets booked.

Updated at 4.54pm EDT

4.53pm EDT 16:53

ET12: Good delivery from Said Benrahma towards the near post. Joe Bryan puts the ball out for a throw-in.

4.52pm EDT 16:52

ET10: Brentford play it long, with Mathias Jensen booting the ball down the pitch from the right-back position after receiving a pass from Raya. The ball’s played cross-field and Anthony Knockaert is booked for taking down Rico Henry.

4.49pm EDT 16:49

ET8: Michael Hector is booked for a foul on Norgaard. But for his late decision to pull out of the tackle, he might have seen red.

4.47pm EDT 16:47

ET6: “It might not have been a great match, but, given how much was at stake, you should be more positive,” writes Ian, who would actually rather read lies about the quality of the game than a commentary on what is actually happening.

4.46pm EDT 16:46

ET4: Kamara shoots from distance after a poor clearance from David Raya came his way. The back-pedalling goalkeeper gets behind his dipping shot to keep it out.

4.44pm EDT 16:44

ET1: Play resumes. Ollie Watkins fouls Harrison Reid, who goes to ground, only to be dragged back to his feet by the man who tripped him. Moments previously, Watkins had gone close to converting a Canos delivery to the near post, but Michael Hector made a crucial intervention. Watkins appealed for a penalty but none was forthcoming.

4.37pm EDT 16:37

Full-time: Brentford 0-0 Fulham

We’re going to extra time! And what an absolute treat that’s going to be for everyone if the preceding 90 minutes were anything to go by. It’s been a dreadful game but somebody’s got to win it.

4.35pm EDT 16:35

90+2 min: Fulham substitution: After one of the longest warm-ups I’ve ever seen, Aleksandar Mitrovic finally comes on. Bobby Decordova-Reid makes way.

4.34pm EDT 16:34

90 min: Normal time enters its knockings and Anthony Knockaert tries to advance down the right wing, only to be dispossessed by Said Benrahma. We’ll have three minutes of added time, in which we can only pray somebody scores a late winner to spare us all another 30 minutes of this risible dreck.

4.30pm EDT 16:30

87 min: Anthony Knockaert is fouled by Mathias Jensen as he tries to sprint forward to reach a long ball. Jensen is booked for his troubles, moments after the duo exchange angry words.

4.28pm EDT 16:28

85 min: Brentford substitution: Sergi Canos on for Josh Dasilva, whose contribution has, like that of several of his teammates, been fairly negligible.

4.27pm EDT 16:27

83 min: Aboubakar Kamara is played in behind by a neat pass but takes one touch to many and forces himself too wide to take a shot. He crosses the ball instead but Brentford’s defenders had squeezed up. Offside.

4.26pm EDT 16:26

83 min: Unless one of these teams can rustle up a winner in the next seven or eight minutes, we’ll be forced to endure another 30 minutes of this dross and possibly penalties.

4.24pm EDT 16:24

82 min: Fulham substitution: Anthony Knockaert on for Neeskens Kebano.

4.23pm EDT 16:23

80 min: The free-kick is one from the training ground and looks like it needed a lot more work on the training ground. Fulham clear their lines.

4.22pm EDT 16:22

79 min: Hector is penalised for a foul on Ollie Watkins, giving Brentford a free-kick about 40 yards from the Fulham goal.

4.21pm EDT 16:21

78 min: Brentford get back on the ball, attacking down the left flank. Said Benrahma chips the ball to the edge of the penalty area from the byline, where Michael Hector heads clear.

4.19pm EDT 16:19

76 min: Now Fulham have the ball, Tom Cairney releasing Neeskens Kebano down the right flank. His cross is awful, way too close to David Raya in the Brentford goal. I’m not going to lie, this second half is diabolically dull.

Updated at 4.20pm EDT

4.18pm EDT 16:18

75 min: More pressure from Brentford who pass and probe around the left side of the Fulham penalty area. They play the ball backwards and then down the right, building patiently and enjoying a period of sustained possession

4.16pm EDT 16:16

73 min: Benrahma plays the ball into the Fulham penalty area, trying to pick out Watkins. His lofted pass takes a deflection and Rodak gathers comfortably.

4.14pm EDT 16:14

70 min: Ollie Watkins finally gets a sight of goal but fires straight at Marek Rodak from distance.

Updated at 4.15pm EDT

4.11pm EDT 16:11

69 min: It’s time for drinks. Mine’s a gin and tonic with ice and a slice, please.

4.10pm EDT 16:10

68 min: Emiliano and Said Benrahma stand over the ball. It’s the substitute who takes the shot, which goes high and wide.

Emiliano Marcondes’ free-kick goes over the Fulham wall … and the bar. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 4.25pm EDT