Lasse Vibe strike lifts Brentford to victory over Aston Villa

Posted Wednesday, December 27, 2017 by PA

Lasse Vibe's second-half goal helped Brentford seal a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at a rain-soaked Griffin Park.

The Danish striker slammed home a loose ball in the box in the 52nd minute after Romaine Sawyers' opener had been cancelled out by Villa substitute Josh Onomah in a game played in treacherous conditions.

Villa's winless run now stretches to five matches and they sit three points adrift of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places while Brentford are up to 12th in the standings.

After a quiet start that saw both sides trying to come to terms with the torrential rain, the game burst into life in the 16th minute.

Sergi Canos cut in from the left and sent in a low angled drive that Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone did well to tip round his far post.

That was after Villa suffered an early blow, Albert Adomah limping off after taking a crack to the ribs from Florian Jozefzoon within the first five minutes.

Brentford took a 22nd-minute lead when a patient build-up ended when Sawyers drilled home an unstoppable low drive from the edge of the box.

But the lead lasted just eight minutes as substitute Onomah - on for Adomah - rose highest at the far post to head home former Brentford striker Scott Hogan's cross from the dead ball line.

Bees defender Yoann Barbet went close to restoring the lead as the conditions deteriorated, but Johnstone again got down well at his near post to parry the skidding drive to safety.

Hogan thought he had given Villa the lead just before the break when he dinked home over home goalkeeper Dan Bentley, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Brentford started the brighter after the interval and Canos reacted quickest to his own deflected shot, but was denied by a brilliant last ditch James Chester tackle.

Sawyers blazed high and wide before Villa replied, with Robert Snodgrass testing Bentley low to his right, Onomah firing the first time rebound well wide.

But the hosts took the lead again in the 52nd minute when Villa's brittle defence failed to clear Josh McEachran's corner and Vibe pounced on the loose ball to fire home just inside the upright.

Brentford's second gave them impetus and Canos went close again, but his curling effort was deflected onto the bar by Alan Hutton, who was tested by the diminutive Spaniard all night.

Brentford went close through Canos and Ryan Woods late on, but it was almost Villa who had the perfect injury-time response.

Keinan Davis saw his close range effort blocked at the death, before Bentley guaranteed maximum points for the hosts when he dropped on the ball from the ensuing corner as Villa tried to bundle it home with almost the final kick.