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By JOE BERNSTEIN Published: 09: 10 AEDT, 5 December 2024 | Updated: 10: 45 AEDT, 5 December 2024 7 View comments Morgan Rogers sported a new peroxide look and stood out from the crowd with a goal and assist as Aston Villa ended a run of eight games without a win. Rogers settled nervy Villa Park with a stunning opener after 21 minutes and then set up Matty Cash with an Ollie Watkins penalty sandwiched in between as Unai Emery’s men climbed the Premier League table to seventh. Without a win in any competition since October, Unai Emery gave Tyrone Mings his first Premier League action since rupturing his cruciate on the opening day of last season. Mings’ return in the Champions League had been blighted by needlessly picking the ball up to concede a penalty against Bruges but Emery still values the 31-year-old’s experience. Fittingly, Mings started the move inside his own half that led to the opening Villa goal after 21 minutes. Boubacar Kamara advanced the ball up the field and after Rogers played a one-two with Ollie Watkins, he curled in a beauty from 20 yards. Morgan Rogers struck home a fine opener before Ollie Watkins (right) scored a penalty Matty Cash wrapped up a long-awaited victory for Unai Emery's men with a volley on 35 minutes Martin Damsgaard set Villa hearts racing a touch with a neat finish early in the second half Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara (Barkley 71'), Tielemans; Bailey (Philogene 65'), Mc Ginn (Maatsen 88'), Rogers (Buendía 87'); Watkins (Durán 65') Subs not used: Bogarde, Pau Torres, Olsen, Diego Carlos Goals: Rogers 21', Watkins 28' pen, Cash 34' Booked: Cash Manager: Unai Emery Brentford (4-3-3): Flekken; van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter (Roerslev 80'); Yarmoliuk (Maghoma 64'), Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa (Thiago 71'), Schade (Fábio Carvalho 71') Subs not used: Konak, Mee, Trevitt, Valdimarsson, Meghoma Goals: Damsgaard 54' Booked: Pinnock, Collins Manager: Thomas Frank The scorer was easy to pick out in the midst of the Villa celebrations with his newly bleached hair. If he went blonde to bring about a change of luck, it worked with his first goal in six games. Watkins himself had scored only once in eight games with his position under pressure from Jhon Duran. So when the England striker won a penalty after 28 minutes, outpacing Ethan Pinnock before being fouled, John Mc Ginn was happy to give him the ball to take. Though Flekken got a hand to the strike to the right, it trickled into the corner to give Villa a two-goal cushion. Brentford’s away form is as bad as they are good at home with only one point won on their travels. After 34 minutes they fell further behind with Rogers the creator on this occasion. He dinked a cross for Watkins but when it was nicked away by Pinnock, Matty Cash came steaming in at the far post to drive home a third goal. It was the Polish international defender’s first goal of the season and first in the Premier League for 15 months. The home side continued as they left off in the second half with Digne making another buccaneering run and forcing Flekken to beat away his shot. The ‘keeper then threatened to undo his good work by nearly punching the resulting corner into his own net. Some of Villa’s football was beginning to look outstanding and Watkins had a header clawed away at the last moment by Flekken. Unai Emery’s men climbed the Premier League table to seventh Jhon Duran entered the fray midway through the second half and was his usual lively self It was a jolt therefore when Brentford pulled a goal back after 54 minutes, with Mikkel Damsgaard rifling a Villa clearance past Emi Martinez with interest. The goal woke up the visitors with Mbuemo gesturing to the away fans to show their support. Cash threw his body in the way of a shot by Collins. Jhon Duran entered the fray midway through the second half and was his usual lively self, collecting a booking and then forcing Flekken into another fine save. Mings almost capped his impressive comeback performance with a goal but his header was a couple of inches too high. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group