Brentford scored two goals in the final 10 minutes to come from behind and deny Watford victory.
Bryan Mbeumo slotted in a stoppage-time penalty to make it 2-1, minutes after captain Pontus Jansson had equalised with a header at the back post.
Watford led for an hour thanks to Emmanuel Dennis’ first-half header but a late surge from Brentford was eventually rewarded.
Defeat means Watford remain just three points above the relegation zone.
Dennis, who has been directly involved in nine of Watford’s last 12 Premier League goals, was left unmarked as he nodded in the opener against the run of play in the first half.
Brentford had controlled the first 20 minutes, coming close through Shandon Baptiste and Mbeumo but Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann made several smart saves.
Joshua King’s curling effort then struck the post, giving Watford their first corner of the match, and Dennis converted.
Watford looked set to take all three points home too but Brentford burst into life late on when Jansson got on the end of a curling cross to nod in the equaliser.
Brentford piled on the pressure as the game went deep into stoppage time and substitute Saman Ghoddos was brought down by William Ekong to set-up a dramatic finale.
Mbeumo kept his cool to send goalkeeper Bachmann the wrong way and the win, which sparked jubilant scenes at the Brentford community Stadium, moves the Bees up to ninth in the table for at least a night.
Watford toying with bottom three
With just six points separating 14th and 20th in the table, there could be a scrap to avoid relegation this season.
The bottom three is currently occupied by Norwich, Newcastle and Burnley – but Sean Dyche’s side have two games in hand and will go above 17th-placed Watford if they win both.
In the 83rd minute, Watford were set to go six points clear of the drop until Jansson’s equaliser dealt a blow.
It was Jansson’s first Premier League goal and he celebrated heavily, calling on his team-mates and the crowd to lift their game for the final few minutes.
Brentford responded to his rally and pinned Watford in before Mbeumo showed composure to net the winner from the spot.
Watford have attacking threat in Dennis – who has been directly involved in 12 Premier League goals this season – but his last three have all come in defeats to Chelsea, Leicester and now Brentford.
Player of the match
MbeumoBryan Mbeumo
Brentford
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Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
7.60
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Squad number14Player nameGhoddosAverage rating
7.35
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Squad number27Player nameJanelt
Average rating7.29
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Squad number18Player nameJansson
Average rating7.16
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Squad number8Player nameJensen
Average rating7.04
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Squad number30Player nameRoerslev
Average rating7.01
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Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
Average rating6.99
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Squad number15Player nameOnyeka
Average rating6.94
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Squad number3Player nameHenry
Average rating6.81
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Squad number9Player nameForss
Average rating6.70
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Squad number26Player nameBaptiste
Average rating6.61
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Squad number11Player nameWissa
Average rating6.60
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Squad number4Player nameGoode
Average rating6.56
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Squad number40Player nameFernández
Average rating6.40
Watford
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Squad number25Player nameDennisAverage rating7.18
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Squad number7Player nameKingAverage rating
6.46
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Squad number19Player nameSissokoAverage rating
6.43
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Squad number8Player nameCleverleyAverage rating6.27
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Squad number29Player nameCucho HernándezAverage rating
6.10
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Squad number21Player nameKiko FemeníaAverage rating6.01
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Squad number26Player nameBachmannAverage rating
6.01
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Squad number15Player nameCathcartAverage rating5.94
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Squad number2Player nameNgakiaAverage rating
5.62
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Squad number33Player nameKuckaAverage rating
5.39
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Squad number10Player nameJoão PedroAverage rating
5.21
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Squad number18Player nameTufanAverage rating
5.03
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Squad number12Player nameSemaAverage rating4.62
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Squad number5Player nameTroost-EkongAverage rating
4.46
Line-ups
Brentford
Formation 3-5-2
- 40Fernández
- 4GoodeBooked at 81mins
- 18JanssonBooked at 70mins
- 27JaneltBooked at 68mins
- 30Roerslev
- 26Baptiste
- 6Nørgaard
- 8JensenSubstituted forGhoddosat 69′minutes
- 3HenrySubstituted forOnyekaat 77′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 19Mbeumo
- 11WissaSubstituted forForssat 69′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Thompson
- 9Forss
- 14Ghoddos
- 15Onyeka
- 28Bidstrup
- 29Bech Sørensen
- 36Stevens
- 41Cox
- 43Young-Coombes
Watford
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Bachmann
- 21Femenía
- 5Troost-Ekong
- 15Cathcart
- 2Ngakia
- 33Kucka
- 19Sissoko
- 29HernándezSubstituted forSemaat 77′minutes
- 8CleverleySubstituted forJoão Pedroat 58′minutes
- 7King
- 25DennisSubstituted forTufanat 90+1′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Rose
- 6Louza
- 10João Pedro
- 12Sema
- 17Fletcher
- 18Tufan
- 27Kabasele
- 35Elliot
- 41Angelini
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Brentford 2, Watford 1.
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Second Half ends, Brentford 2, Watford 1.
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Goal! Brentford 2, Watford 1. Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Penalty Brentford. Saman Ghoddos draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty conceded by William Troost-Ekong (Watford) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Kiko Femenía (Watford).
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Substitution, Watford. Ozan Tufan replaces Emmanuel Dennis.
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Frank Onyeka (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Frank Onyeka (Brentford).
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Juraj Kucka (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Emmanuel Dennis.
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Attempt blocked. Vitaly Janelt (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Marcus Forss (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Juraj Kucka (Watford).
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VAR Decision: Goal Brentford – Brentford 1-1 Watford (Charlie Goode).
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Goal! Brentford 1, Watford 1. Pontus Jansson (Brentford) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Marcus Forss following a corner.Goal confirmed following VAR Review.
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Attempt missed. Marcus Forss (Brentford) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Vitaly Janelt with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Jeremy Ngakia.
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Attempt blocked. Frank Onyeka (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Vitaly Janelt with a cross.
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