Watkins' winning turn for Aston Villa makes it another frustrating home tale for the Bees
Brentford (0) 0
Aston Villa (0) 1 Watkins 49
Ollie Watkins came back to the Gtech to haunt his old club with a goal that set Villa on their way to a win which extended Brentford's home malaise.
The search for a first home success since the December 7 triumph over Newcastle continues - it's now eight games and counting - and hopes the Bees may have harboured of taking advantage of a Villa side between legs of a Champions League last 16 tie proved unfounded.
Unai Emery's team know they cannot ignore the league table in their pursuit of a follow-up season in Europe next term. They were without both Emi Martinez in goal and Marco Asensio, who has been in supreme form, yet still looked highly motivated.
Watkins was jeered loudly by the fans who used to adore him and he punished them with a dash in the left after taking a pass from Jacob Ramsey and drilling low past Mark Flekken with the aid of a deflection off Nathan Collins.
His celebration was subdued but he must have been tempted to rub it in. As it was, the England striker almost claimed an assist immediately after his opener when he cut the ball back for Morgan Rogers to put away - only for an offside VAR call to come to the Bees' rescue.
That reprieve galvanised Thomas Frank's men and they upped the tempo. Keane Lewis-Potter's scamper into the box almost brought dividends and it needed a great block from Axel Disasi to cut out the danger.
The defender, on loan from Chelsea, also did well to shut down Kevin Schade and fist-pumped in delight after both his interventions. Yoane Wissa then teed up Lewis-Potter for a low strike against the base of a post as momentum for the hosts continued to build.
Robin Olsen does not have a great record in the rare starts he has made, but he made a sound save to deny Schade as the Bees continued to push.
Watkins twice had chances to make the game safe - flashing a shot wide and then bearing down on goal from half way before a final attempted chip over Flekken that the Bees keeper read.
It could have proved costly - especially as an injury time corner flashed across the face of goal with Christian Norgaard so close to getting a decisive touch. But in the end, Watkins' goal settled the issue.
In an otherwise unremarkable first-half, Ramsey came close to putting Villa in front - it needed Collins' header to keep out a curling effort from outside the box.
Tyrone Mings might have put away a Youri Tielemans free-kick arced towards the near post - the defender side-footing straight at Flekken and a drive into the area by Tielemans ended with a a shot that forced a save from the Bees keeper.
Ethan Pinnock also almost sliced a clearance into his own net, but the ball cleared the bar.
It was a much better showing from the Bees during the second 45 minutes but the goal they kept threatening eluded them.
Bees: (4-2-3-1) Flekken - Ajer (Kim 92), Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter - Norgaard, Janelt (Jensen 75) - Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade - Wissa
Villa: (4-2-3-1) Olsen - Disasi, Konsa, Mings, Digne - McGinn (Kamara 61), Tielemans - Bailey (Cash h/t), Rogers (Malen 94), Ramsey (Rashford 68) - Watkins
Attendance: 17,171
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