Brentford 2 Aston Villa 1 - Report

Romaine Sawyers and Lasse Vibe both profited from defensive errors to fire the Bees to victory and condemn Villa to a fifth game without a win, a run which leaves them outside the play-off positions and has begun to verge on the alarming.

Boss Steve Bruce also saw another name added to the club’s lengthy injury list as top scorer Albert Adomah was forced off after just 17 minutes at a rain sodden Griffin Park.

Josh Onomah, his replacement, converted a cross from Scott Hogan to cancel out former Walsall forward Sawyers’s 22nd minute opener.

But sloppy defending at a corner allowed Vibe to grab what proved to be the winner seven minutes into the second half.

Brentford keeper Dan Bentley produced a brilliant save to deny substitute Keinan Davis an equaliser in stoppage time, as Villa slid to a second defeat in three games.

They now head to Middlesbrough on Saturday, desperate for a win to reverse their suddenly plummeting fortunes and improve the mood of an increasingly unhappy fanbase.

Bruce had promised changes in the wake of Saturday’s disappointing 2-2 home draw against Sheffield United, which had extended Villa’s winless run.

In the end there were three, including recalls for both Hogan and Tommy Elphick, the latter handed his first Championship start since Easter Monday.

Hogan replaced Keinan Davis up front to lead the line against his former club, with Alan Hutton coming in for Ahmed Elmohamady at right-back.

Mile Jedinak kept his place in the team but moved into midfield, at the expense of Conor Hourihane.

Villa’s loss of form in recent weeks has at least in part been down to an injury list which has always seemed to contain at least a handful of key players.

They suffered more bad luck with the game not even 20 minutes old, top scorer Adomah forced off after being fouled by Brentford’s Florian Jozefzoon.

Villa had made a bright start without testing home keeper Bentley and were then lucky not to fall behind following a mistake by Hutton.

The right-back miscontrolled on the edge of the box and Sergi Canos, pouncing on the ball, did not turn down the opportunity to strike at goal, Sam Johnstone palming his curling effort round the post.

Villa would not be so fortunate the next time they made an error in the final third. Whelan showed good awareness to win possession as Brentford came forward but then immediately presented the ball to Canos.

Two passes later the ball was at the feet of Sawyers, who took a touch before drilling a low shot beyond the despairing dive of Johnstone and into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

The Bees had their tails up and Elphick needed to be in the right place at the right time to head a dangerous Canos cross behind for a corner.

But Villa have been nothing this season if not resilient and once again they found a way to hit back on the road.

Patient build-up play on the edge of the box ended with Snodgrass sliding in Hogan, who stood up a cross which Onomah, arriving at the far post, powered into the top corner.

As the rain continued to fall, an increasingly slick surface was causing problems for both teams.

Bentley only just beat Grealish to a Chris Mepham backpass which quickly lost speed on the turf before, with just seconds of the half remaining, James Chester was on hand to clear for an attempted Sam Johnstone which threatened to spin back into goal.

Hogan briefly thought he had netted against his former club, only to be denied by a raised offside flag following a sharp exchange with the lively Grealish.

Having reached the break level, only superb work from Elphick prevented Villa from falling behind within two minutes of the restart.

Canos robbed Whelan in the middle of the park and raced at the visiting defence, letting fly a shot from outside the box which deflected wickedly off Elphick, wrong-footing Johnstone.

The ball looked certain to roll into the bottom corner but the Villa defender raced back to clear behind in front of Canos.

Chances continued to arrive and Onomah wasted a good one when he blazed over from the edge of the box, after Bentley had palmed a Snodgrass shot straight into his path.

The Tottenham loanee then played a rather unwanted part in the goal which saw Brentford regain the lead, his missed clearance allowing Vibe to sweep home Josh McEachran’s corner at close range.

Villa had it all to do again and almost fell further behind when Canos cut in from the left and hit a shot which was deflected onto the bar.

Bruce introduced Davis off the bench as he looked to give his team some added bite in attack but it was Brentford who threatened again when Vibe hammered a powerful shot wide from 25 yards out.

Gradually the hosts began to sit deeper and Villa pushed forward, Davis heading a Neil Taylor cross over the bar.

The teenage striker was then denied by a brilliant intervention by Andreas Bjelland when he looked destined to convert fellow substitute Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross.

Bentley then produced a marvellous save to deny Davis at point blank range in stoppage time.

Teams

Brentford (4-3-3): Bentley, Yennaris, Mepham, Bjelland, Barbet, Woods, Sawyers, McEachran (Mokotjo 69), Canos, Vibe (Maupay 82), Jozefzoon Subs not used: Macleod, Judge, Chatzitheodoridis, Sorenson, Daniels (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Johnstone, Hutton, Chester, Elphick (Elmohamady 85), Taylor, Snodgrass, Whelan (Davis 67), Jedinak, Adomah (Onomah 17), Grealish, Hogan Subs not used: De Laet, Bjarnason, Hourihane, Steer (gk).