Two swift equalisers defined the afternoon.
Villa are still searching for their first home win of the season after being pegged back by Brentford.
John McGinn looked to have put Unai Emery’s men course for victory when he fired them ahead with 13 minutes remaining.
But Kristoffer Ajer found a swift leveller for the Bees, who maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Nicolas Jackson had earlier cancelled out Yehor Yarmoliuk’s opener for the visitors.
Analysis
Just as with Ajer’s equaliser, Jackson levelled within two minutes of his team going behind on an afternoon neither could hold the lead for long.
Villa will feel the greater frustration at the result having got their noses in front in the closing stages, only to cede the advantage so quickly.
It was Emery’s team who also carved out the better chances of what was a scrappy game, with McGinn and Emi Buendia both missing golden first half opportunities to put them ahead.
This result did at least mean Villa avoided losing three straight home league matches for the first time in Emery’s reign.
Tyrone Mings kept his place in the side ahead of a fit-again Pau Torres but the defender had a moment to forget as Brentford snatched the lead.
The centre-back was guilty of trying to do too much and lost the ball deep in his own half. When Igor Thiago’s cross was then headed clear, Yarmoliuk arrived to thump the ball beyond Zion Suzuki from 12 yards out.
Villa’s response could barely have been quicker, even if it owed plenty to luck. McGinn found Buendia and the latter’s shot struck Ajer to bounce perfectly into the path of Jackson, who finished first time past Caoimhin Kelleher.
The home side should really have been in front by the break but lacked the killer instinct with both Buendia and McGinn guilty of missing golden chances.
Buendia skied over after Kelleher had only been able to parry a Johan Manzambi effort before, seconds before half-time, McGinn fired straight at the keeper after he had been unable to hold Jackson’s strike.
The Villa skipper left the pitch in discussion with referee Craig Pawson, Villa unhappy at the perceived leniency shown to the visitors’ physical approach.
Home keeper Zion Suzuki prevented the Bees from grabbing the lead early in the second half when he flung himself across goal to keep out Kevin Schade’s volley.
Thiago sent an effort over the bar as Villa, who had replaced Matteo Ruggeri with Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the break, struggled to find any rhythm.
Buendia fired into the side-netting, before seeing an effort deflected narrowly wide by a diving Ajer.
The visiting defender would not be so lucky when Villa went in front. Manzambi pounced on a clearance, found McGinn at the far post and skipper’s finish took a big nick off Ajer to beat Kelleher.
Just as when Brentford had taken the lead in the first half, the advantage was short lived. Ajer burst into the box, between two defenders and his low finish hit Lindelof to leave Suzuki with no chance.
Villa again went hunting a winner but McGinn shot straight at Kelleher from a good position, before Kamara thumped an effort just over the bar.
Key Moments
10 GOAL Yehor Yarmoliuk fires Brentford in front after Tyrone Mings loses the ball deep in his own half.
12 GOAL Villa are quickly level. Emi Buendia’s shot deflects perfectly into the path of Nicolas Jackson, who finishes.
77 GOAL Villa lead. Johan Manzambi picks out John McGinn and his finish deflects off Ajer to beat Caoimhim Kelleher.
79 GOAL Brentford are quickly level. Ajer races into the box and his shot takes a nick off Victor Lindelof to beat Zion Suzuki.
Teams
Villa (4-2-3-1): Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Mings, Ruggeri (Wan-Bissaka HT), Gomes (Barkley 86), Kamara, McGinn, Manzambi (Alysson 86), Buendia (Mbaye 64), Jackson Subs: Torres, Garnacho, Abraham, Bogarde, Bizot (gk).
Brentford: Kelleher, Kayode, Schuster (Hickey HT), Ajer, Diouf, Janelt, Yarmoliuk (Jensen 67), Anthony (Wilson 85), Lewis-Potter (Ouattara 67), Schade (Sangare 52), Thiago Subs not used: van den Berg, Carvalho, Frederick, Valdimarsson (gk).
