When Ayew picked up the ball on the edge for his goal I was in the middle of writing how he'd been a very silly boy indeed to give the ball away when passing to Odion Ighalo (who was standing right in front of him).

But then he goes and works that bit of magic. And the goal's sent the Villa fans bananas. Their team are actually winning a game. 

(OK, we know they're already down.)

What a miss. Rudy Gestede has the chance to put Villa 3-1 up, but it all goes badly, badly wrong. 

Played in on the right-hand side of the box with so much time and space the big man balloons his effort way over the bar. And wide. Terrible. 

What's happened to Villa though?!

We are back under way at Vicarage Road. No changes from either side. Except in the weather. But it is April. Rain again.

You know what they say... goals change games.... 

And that one right on the stroke of half-time will certainly improve Quique Sanchez Flores's mood.

One minute added on. Can Villa hold on until the break? 

Gueye picks up a yellow for a poor challenge on Almen Abdi. Free-kick Watford on the edge of the box... 

Just where have Watford gone since that lovely opening spell? 

Nearly TWO!

Jordan Ayew's stooping header comes back off the frame as Villa threaten to double their lead on the break. Lovely ball in from Cissokho. 

Ooof. Leandro Bacuna takes out Ikechi Anya with a very late challenge indeed and goes into Anthony Taylor's bad books.

Now it feels like pretty much every Watford pass is overhit, misplaced or backwards. 

Since the goal Villa have been much quicker to the ball. They're still not using it all that well themselves either, but hey, that didn't stop them scoring the opener...

Paredes gives the ball away cheaply here and the home fans match it with a grumbling that seems to suggest they've seen this all too often of late. Two wins from their last 11 league games, after that excellent start to the year.

Ben Watson angles a driven pass up to Deeney's head, he knocks it down looking for Ighalo, but the flag is up for offside. 

Do Watford have an answer to this? They've been by far the better team. Ben Watson must be feeling even worse about that volley of his smashing back off the woodwork now. 

Another one of those, Ben, just a bit lower. 

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender on Final Score

"The away fans at Aston Villa are sensational. 

"Clark is one of the players to build around next season. He gets his head on it, first class. 

"There is one for the future."

Chris Sutton
Former Norwich striker on Final Score

"Terrible marking. Watford are in free fall but credit to Clark, he gets the run and Watford just need to get this season done with."

Ben Watson! Behave yourself! The Watford midfielder absolutely smashes one from way outside the box. Setting himself up for the volley, he sends the ball flying towards goal and back off the crossbar.

Aston Villa survive. Again. Because moments before keeper Bunn kept out Ighalo from a tight angle, played in Troy Deeney of course.

Home side very much on top here. 

As you can see by the average positions below. 

Image source, .

Free-kick Villa in their own half. Floated up to Rudy Gestede who's the winner in the air but his header goes in the general direction of no-one at all. Safely collected by Ikechi Anya,

I'm only telling you about that because it's Villa's best move of the half so far...

Image source, Getty Images

Ighalo's a real handful. The Villa defense can't handle him in the box at all. In the build-up to that Watford corner a few minutes ago he turned three players with the same movement. Panic stations. 

Have they just come through that little bit of pressure now though Villa? That's about six passes in a row I count... They need a breather.

Image source, Reuters