If Unai Emery’s team are to end the club’s three decade trophy drought this term it won’t be in this competition after they went out on penalties to Brentford.

Bees keeper Hakon Valdimarsson, culpable for letting Harvey Elliott’s first half shot squeeze under his body as Villa finally scored for the first time this season, was the hero as he saved from John McGinn and Matty Cash in the shoot-out.

Brentford scored all four of their spot-kicks to advance to the fourth round, with Villa left to rue a second half miss from debutant Jadon Sancho.

The on loan Manchester United winger looked certain to double the visiting team’s advantage but hit the post with the goal gaping.

Aaron Hickey then levelled things up on the night with a sublime volley before Villa were thwarted by Valdimarsson, who saved from Cash and Morgan Rogers to send the tie to penalties.

The Icelandic shot-stopper then continued his renaissance by denying McGinn and Cash to send Villa to another early cup exit.

This competition has been at the bottom of Emery’s priorities in recent seasons but the poor start to the current campaign, which has seen them take just two points from the opening four Premier League matches, heightened the significance of this tie.

So while the Villa team featured seven changes from the one which started Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Everton, it remained strong, with a full debut for Sancho and first start for Elliott.

Brentford boss Keith Andrews made 10 changes to the XI which began their 2-2 draw against Chelsea, with defender Sepp van den Berg the only player to stay in the line-up.

Villa had managed just 10 attempts on target in their opening four matches but registered one within 90 seconds of the start.

Elliott’s volley might have been comfortable for Valdimarsson but it was part of a bright opening from the visitors, who also saw Pau Torres send a header wide.

As has been a theme of this season, however, Villa’s opponents came close to breaking the deadlock the first time they threatened.

Dango Ouatarra, scorer of the only goal in the Bees’ 1-0 Premier League victory last month, sent a cross just over the head of Antoni Milambo. Villa eventually cleared the danger but from the corner it required a fine save from Marco Bizot to keep out Van den Berg’s header.

After a good start Villa were struggling to spark again, though they had a decent shout for a penalty waved away when Valdimarsson couldn’t hold a McGinn cross and Evann Guessand beat him to the loose ball. Referee John Brooks ruled the keeper had got enough on the ball after the forward went to ground but replays suggested otherwise.

There was a far bigger shout soon after when Cash tumbled as he raced into the box. The right-back was adamant his fall was due to being clipped by Rico Henry but referee Brooks, again, was unmoved.

Then, just as it looked like another half of football would pass without Villa finding the net, came the breakthrough.

McGinn pounced on a napping Janelt and the ball ran to Elliott, his first time shot somehow under through the palms and legs of Valdimarsson before squirming over the line.

It was the scrappiest of strikes but Elliott and the visiting supporters could not have cared less.

“We’ve scored a goal!” sang those fans housed in the corner of the stadium.

Early in the second half they should have been celebrating another.

Cash’s high ball helped Guessand get in behind the defence and his low cross was deflected into the path of Sancho arriving at the back post, who had time to pick his spot. His first-time shot hit the outside of the post.

It was a miss which took on extra significance when Hickey drew the Bees level three minutes before the hour mark. Torres got the first header on Frank Onyeka’s long throw but the ball dropped to Hickey who from just inside the box whipped it into the top corner.

Long throws have been a serious weapon for the Bees and another Onyeka delivery caused further trouble, Bizot clawing the ball away from underneath his own bar.

Donyell Malen concluded a largely anonymous performance by shooting over the bar before Emery introduced Ollie Watkins and Rogers off the bench.

Into the last 10 minutes, Valdimarsson made partial amends for his earlier error when he denied Cash at close range after the right-back and arrived to meet McGinn’s excellent delivery at the back post.

Rogers sent a low effort straight at the Bees keeper, before Mikkel Damsgaard hammered an effort just over the bar at the other end.

The final chance fell to Rogers but his shot in the last minute of stoppage time was saved smartly by Valdimarsson down to his right. 

It was a precursor of what was to come in the shoot-out as the keeper dived that way to save from both Cash and McGinn and send his team through.

Teams

Brentford (5-3-2): Valdimarsson, Hickey (Kayode 78), Van den Berg, Arthur, Ajer (Collins 52), Henry, Janelt (Yarmoliuk HT), Milambo (Nelson 68), Onyeka, Fábio Carvalho, Ouattara (Damsgaard 78) Subs not used: Schade, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Kelleher (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, McGinn, Bogarde (Kamara 74), Sancho (Buendia 74), Elliott (Watkins 67), Guessand (Jimoh-Aloba 80), Malen (Rogers 67) Subs not used: Mings, Digne, Borland, Proctor (gk).