Brentford 1 Fulham 2: Watch Joe Bryan bamboozle Bees with 40-yard free-kick as double seals £160m Premier League bonanza

JOE BRYAN’S brilliant double ensured Fulham bounced straight back up to the Premier League by beating Brentford 2-1 in the richest game in football.

The left-back’s clever thinking from a free-kick 40 yards out on the stroke of half-time in extra time caught out Bees goalkeeper David Raya.

Joe Bryan celebrates his stunning free-kick to break the deadlock in the Championship play-off final

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya could only scramble across his goal in vain as Bryan’s long-range effort hit the back of the net

After a cagey affair of few clear-cut chances at an empty Wembley Stadium, the moment of magic from Bryan’s left boot broke the deadlock.

And he raced forward in the final few minutes to play a neat one-two and slot home under the arch to secure a £160million bonanza for his side.

Henrik Dalsgaard headed in a mere consolation in the fourth minute of injury time.

It was, though, too little too late for Thomas Frank’s men who, despite outscoring the rest of the division, must settle for another season in the second tier.

But while the Bees’ wait to play in the Premier League for the first time goes on, five miles to the east the party will go on long into the night.

It means Fulham boss Scott Parker has led his Cottagers side into the Promised Land in his first full season in charge, a year after they were relegated in miserable fashion.

Fulham were fortunate to keep 11 men on the pitch when Martin Atkinson adjudged Harrison Reed’s lunge on Christian Norgaard only worthy of a yellow card.

Aleksandar Mitrovic came off the bench just before the end of normal time in the hope of returning from injury to be the hero.

But it was former Bristol City man Bryan – who scored a stunner to help dump Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup in 2017 – who stepped up when his team needed a hero.

Skipper Tom Cairney is hoisted in the air as Fulham celebrate promotion at the first time of asking

Henrik Dalsgaard headed in a consolation in the 124th minute but it proved too little too late

Brentford felt Harrison Reed’s lunge on Christian Norgaard was worthy of a red card rather than the yellow Martin Atkinson showed

It was a cagey affair at an empty Wembley with few chances for either side

Bryan kept his cool when he raced clear and slotted into the back of the net with his weaker right foot

Scott Parker and Thomas Frank were both aiming to win promotion in their first full season in charge