HEROES AND VILLANS!

Watkins saves point but bemoans Villa’s lack of big-game mentality

OLLIE WATKINS ended up upset by Aston Villa throwing away a 2-0 lead rather than enjoying his personal brace to silenced Brentford fans and win his personal battle with England rival Ivan Toney.

Watkins should have been celebrating given he was barracked by travelling supporters who remembered his finger-jabbing goal gesture at the Gtech in December.

But Villa’s collapse when Brentford scored three times in nine minutes touched a nerve with the 18-goal striker. Unai Emery’s team will drop out of the top four if Tottenham beat Nottingham Forest today.

‘It’s frustrating. We lacked that big-team mentality where they kill games off which is really disappointing,’ said Watkins.

‘I’m not belittling my team, I’m part of it. We’re battling with Tottenham so we need to win the next six games.

‘This could have been a massive three points. We’ve also been 2-0 up against Manchester United and conceded silly goals.

‘We’ve done it again here today. Top teams kill it off. Maybe we just don’t have that maturity yet or game intelligence.’

Ironically, Toney — who is competing with Watkins to be Harry Kane’s understudy for England — also ended the game raging having been brought off the bench for the final 10 minutes.

He remonstrated with team-mate Nathan Collins at full-time after failing to get the right pass to score a late winner.

‘I will speak to them on Monday. I don’t exactly know what it was about but it’s two competitive people who want to win,’ said Brentford boss Thomas Frank. ‘We have a good culture and a united dressing-room. They will sort it out.’

Villa had looked on course for a regulation win when Morgan Rogers’ goal in the opening minute of the second half added to Watkins’ first-half header. But the Londoners scored three times in quick succession through Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa to give themselves an unlikely lead.

Watkins, who had missed the midweek defeat at Manchester City with a hamstring injury, then proved his side’s saviour by heading Leon Bailey’s deflected cross with 10 minutes left. He is now clear second to Erling Haaland in the race for a Premier League Golden Boot.

‘I will have to sleep on it,’ joked a breathless Frank when asked to assess the action. ‘It was a fine point but also two dropped.’

Brentford are now nine without a win in the league but fears about being dragged into a relegation battle look remote.

Villa welcomed back big-hitters Emi Martinez (illness), John McGinn (suspension) and Watkins as they made six changes to the side well beaten at the Etihad.

Toney took a rare turn on the Brentford bench while Mbeumo was included for his first start since December.

The swirling wind prevented much meaningful action until the game exploded into life after 39 minutes. John McGinn clipped a cross into the box and Watkins rose to head in despite Mark Flekken getting a glove to the ball.

Brentford were furious referee Michael Salisbury blew for halftime as Mbeumo was on a breakaway but they would have been better off keeping their focus.

Within 37 second of the restart, Villa had added a second. Youri Tielemans threaded a pass to Rogers who cut inside Kristoffer Ajer and rifled past Flekken from 20 yards. ‘I changed a lot of things at half-time and it was f ***** right away,’ complained Frank.

Brentford threw themselves a lifeline after 57 minutes when Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross hit “Zanka” Jorgensen’s standing left leg and shot past Martinez.

Two minutes later they were level. Left-back Sergio Reguilon raced forward and from his cross Mbeumo arced his body to meet with a cushioned volley.

After 69 minutes, Reguilon again burst through and sent over a delivery that gave Wissa a tap-in. Emery immediately sent on Nicolo Zaniolo but it was the familiar source of Watkins who hauled them level.