No joy for Dean

NEAL MAUPAy struck his 21st goal of the season to ensure Dean smith’s return to Griffin Park was an unhappy one.

We had just entered four minutes of stoppage time when the prolific Brentford striker took in a sergi Canos pass and showed tricky feet as Aston Villa defender Tommy Elphick went to ground.

Maupay then jinked past Tyrone Mings and sent a crisp shot high into the net to hand Bees manager Thomas Frank a win over his former boss.

It was all Brentford deserved for a stylish performance that stifled Villa, and it must have been difficult for smith — who departed back in october — to see the team he helped craft over a three-year spell emerge victorious. smith was left to rue misses by Albert Adomah and Conor Hourihane on the counter attack.

‘Chances fell to us and we missed them. A frustrating and disappointing night,’ he said.

But Brentford had plenty of chances themselves before the winner, with Moses odubajo and said Benrahma firing wide, and Maupay twice fluffing his lines from good positions.

‘ Everyone who is into football, that feeling, that is why we’re in this world to experience those moments,’ Frank said of the winner.