Dean Smith was more than happy to play the role of party-pooper after his Brentford side denied Fulham all three points at Craven Cottage.

The home side knew a win would all-but guarantee them a play-off place, but they didn't bank on goalkeeping heroics from Bees stopper Daniel Bentley.

Tom Cairney slotted in from close range to open the scoring after eight minutes but Nico Yennaris equalised against the run of play with a neat finish.

But the game's major moment came when Yoann Barbet's foul on Stephan Johansen gave Cairney a penalty, but Bentley saved his shot and rebound to deny him.

And Smith, whose side had to put in a different gameplan from normal, was delighted not to make it easy for the high-flying Cottagers - who are pretty much assured of a play-off place after other results went their way.

“It was a different performance from us. In recent weeks it has been fast flowing attacking football. Today we had to defend resolutely. 

“We gave away too many chances in the first half. It became more end to end in the second half; they dominated it more in the first half.

“We didn’t want to come here and allow Fulham to have a party. We didn’t allow them to have a party - they made the playoffs through other results.

“You only had to look at our bench today to see we were down to our bare bones. Credit to the players who came in - they took their opportunity.”

Fulham made a positive start and went ahead when Ryan Sessegnon latched on to a through-ball from Sone Aluke and cut back for Cairney to stroke home his 12th goal of the season.

Cairney could have doubled the advantage four minutes later, after Stefan Johansen found him with another cutback from the left, but this time he lifted his left-footed shot over.

The hosts spurned an even better opportunity in the 24th minute, Floyd Ayite scooping embarrassingly high into the stand after being played through on goal by Scott Malone.

And Fulham were punished for their profligacy when Yennaris played a one-two on the edge of the box with Konstantin Kerschbaumer and fired right-footed into the top corner.

Yoann Barbet’s foul on Johansen handed Fulham the chance restore their lead from the penalty spot, but Brentford goalkeeper Bentley dived low to his left to deny Cairney.

Bentley thwarted Cairney once again three minutes after the restart by plucking his left-footed shot out of the top corner, and Johansen then shot narrowly wide as the hosts pushed for a second.

But then Brentford began fighting back and Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli was forced into three smart saves, twice from Lasse Vibe and once from substitute Florian Jozefzoon.