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Neal Maupay's late strike was his 18th league goal of the season - and his third against Villa

Brentford's top scorer Neal Maupay curled home a 91st-minute winner to spoil ex-Bees boss Dean Smith's first return to Griffin Park with Championship play-off hopefuls Aston Villa.

Maupay, who scored both goals in Brentford's 2-2 draw at Villa Park in August, shimmied into space in the visitors' box before steering home a stunning strike with his right instep.

That lifted the Bees to 15th in the table, just four points behind 10th-placed Villa, who have now won just twice in 12 games.

The Bees, who initially struggled after Smith's departure in October, are on the upturn under Thomas Frank, having lost just once in 12 games, Saturday's defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Brentford, who completed a third successive home win against Villa, were comfortably the better side in the opening half, going closest to breaking the deadlock with a brilliant bit of football in only the third minute.

From a half-cleared cross, Sergi Canos met it with a great touch and first time right-foot volley from 25 yards, only to see it tipped over just as stunningly by Villa keeper Lovre Kalinic.

The Villa keeper then survived a big penalty shout when Maupay went down in a tangle of legs with Kalinic after Tyrone Mings had made a mess of clearing a low right-wing Canos cross.

On a night of several penalty appeals, this looked the only genuine claim.

Moses Odubajo then fired into the side-netting and Said Benrahma also went close with a low shot, but it was Villa who then had their first real sniff when last season's top scorer Albert Adomah's right-foot shot flashed just across the face of goal.

After the break, Brentford again carried the great threat.

Canos again opened up Villa when he set up Maupay, only for the Frenchman to sky his left-foot shot over the bar. Then, after Kalinic saved Ollie Watkins' left-foot shot, Benrahma had a spectacular overhead kick blocked, before Kalinic again saved at his near post.

It looked as if Conor Hourihane had wasted the best chance to win it on the break when he went one-on-one with Daniel Bentley, but was denied by the Bees keeper.

Instead, Maupay had the last word, firing his 21st goal of the season - 18 of which have been in the league - and his third against Villa this term.

Villa boss Dean Smith, who won 57 out of his 144 in games in charge of Brentford, got a warm reception on his return to Griffin Park

Brentford boss Thomas Frank told BBC Radio London:

"We controlled the game and were the best side by miles. We only gave chances away when we gave the ball away.

"Neal Maupay was a beast up there. He's not only a goalscorer, but he's a key player for us with his work ethic and his mentality.

"And what a goal. It wasn't just a tap-in - he did both centre-backs and stuck it in the top corner."

Aston Villa head coach Dean Smith told BBC WM:

"It's very frustrating. We were never going to come here and outplay Brentford - I've not seen a team do that here for four years.

"They're very good on their own patch, but we stayed organised and made it difficult for them to get big chances.

"The frustrating part for me is that the best chances fell to us and we didn't take them."