Ollie Watkins Scores Hat-Trick Against Hibernian As Aston Villa Win Emphatically On Return To Europe
Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick as Aston Villa thrashed Scottish side Hibernian 5-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off on Wednesday.
Watkins fired Villa into a 2-0 lead in Edinburgh inside the opening 33 minutes with two headed finishes.
Leon Bailey made it 3-0 late in the first half before Watkins completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second period.
Douglas Luiz then wrapped up an emphatic victory from the penalty spot.
Three of Villa's five goals were assisted by left-back Lucas Digne.
This was Villa's first game in a European competition since August 2010 when they lost 3-2 to Rapid Vienna in a Europa League play-off.
But following Wednesday's heavy win in Edinburgh it would require a monumental collapse to stop Villa reaching the group stage of this season's Europa Conference League.
The second leg will take place in Birmingham on August 31.