Brentford were desperately unlucky to come away with nothing after losing 2-1 to Watford at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night.

The Bees more than played their part in an entertaining game, during which they battled right to the very end. Yet a penalty late in the first half and a super strike midway through the second ensured the home side took all three points.

Watford threatened early when Diego Fabbrini cut in from the right, but a well timed tackle from Jake Bidwell inside the Bees box brought his run to a hault.

Another early chance came when Matej Vydra's low shot from the left was deflected for a corner.

The Bees looked lively going forward too, with Andre Gray switching play to Alan Judge on the right, whose early cross was cleared as far as Toumani Diagouraga, but his scuffed shot was wide of the right hand post.

The Hornets came close again when a cross from the left was headed off the crossbar by Odion Ighalo.

Jonathan Douglas got round the back of the defence to get on the end of a Judge free kick, but his shot was blocked.

A marvellous run down the left wing saw Jota skip past several defenders, before his shot from just inside the box was deflected for a corner.

As Brentford enjoyed a spell of possession Judge let fly with a volley from 25 yards, which was just wide.

Watford took the lead just before the break when James Tarkowski bundled over Ighalo as he broke into the box and referee Graham Salisbury pointed to the spot. The striker took the spot kick himself, and despite David Button saving his initial shot, he stabbed the rebound past the keeper.

Early in the second half a strong challenge in midfield from Diagouraga won the Bees the ball and ended with Jake Bidwell's low shot across goal and behind.

Button came to his side's rescue when he raced out to the edge of his box an dived at the feet on Lloyd Dyer after the striker got the better of Brentford's defence.

The Bees deservedly drew level when a lovely move saw Judge feed a low pass into Douglas, who shot past Heurelho Gomes and into the bottom right hand corner.

Then, very much against the run of play, Watford re-took the lead when Vydra unleashed a rocket of a shot from the edge of the box past Button.

Vydra could have extended the home side's led after a poor kick from Button allowed Ikechi Anya to skip past Tony Craig and cross into the box, but the Bees keeper redeemed himself by diving at the feet of Vydra to gather the ball.

At the other end Moses Odubajo enjoyed a good chance to draw his side level, but his shot over the bar from inside the box.

Watford were reduced to ten men in added on time when Daniel Pudil sent off after receiving his second yellow card for bringing down Odubajo. From Alex Pritchard's free kick Gomes made a great save from Judge's header.

Brentford: Button, McCormack, Tarkowski, Dean, Bidwell; Douglas, Judge, Diagouraga (sub Proschwitz 79), Jota (sub Pritchard 68), Odubajo, Gray.

Subs (not used): Bonham, Dean, Tebar, Toral, Betinho.