Another good chance for Watford followed  a minute but a header was powered over. With accuracy, it would have been hard for Bees keeper David Raya to keep it out.

Then the inevitable happened.

Four minutes later, Kristoffer Ajer won the first header from a right win throw-in,  and an unmarked Christian Norgaard tapped in for an easy opening goal.

As is so often the case, Hornets’ heads went down after conceding the opening goal. The Bees even survived losing Ethan Pinnock with Mads Bech Sorensen replacing him.

After half time, Watford emerged a different side.

Bees still created the best early chance but Ivan Toney scuffed wide after he, and only he, predicted a deft Eriksen free kick lobbed into a very dangerous area.

It was to be the catalyst for a Watford revival. Their equaliser, when it came, was well deserved. Ismaila Sarr was ruled offside when he rose for a flick on. Play continued and Emmanuel Dennis hammered in the equaliser from a close angle.  The referee saw the flag and disallowed the goal before VAR re-allowed it.

The home crowd had endured some mild and good natured taunting fron the visiting fans which was always kept clean to their credit. Suddenly it was the home fans making all the noise.

Yet the chances continued to be missed. Samir drove wide and in the closing minutes, Raya had to be very alert to punch a set piece over.

Then came the craziness of added time. Joshua King hit the post when close in and the ball rebounded straight to Louza, who inexplicably lobbed it over the bar with the goal gaping.

At the other end, disaster struck Eriksen curled in a free kick for Pontus Jansson to head home for an unlikely, but in some ways, predictable outcome.

Brentford rose to 11th and 39 points and no-one can deny thosse numbers are a true reflection of their contribtion to the EPL this season.

Sadly the same is also true of Watford.