Buckle up. This victory began a run of six matches that could define Aston Villa’s season and Unai Emery seems determined to go full throttle in every single one.

Goals either side of half time from Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins put Villa on the brink of the Europa League semi-finals and though Bologna rallied through Jonathan Rowe, Watkins restored their two-goal lead with virtually the last kick of the game. The second leg at Villa Park is on Thursday.

Watkins has three goals in his last two games and seems to be timing his run well after a tricky season. The 30-year-old still hopes to force his way back into the England squad and a strong finish to the campaign could still convince England boss Thomas Tuchel to take him to the World Cup.

‘It’s the back end of the season and I'm raring to go,’ he said. ‘I could play another 90 minutes (straightaway). I'm excited for the next few games. I'm hungry. Bologna played tough today and we got lucky. We're in a great spot at the end of the season and it's all to play for.’

On Sunday Villa travel to Nottingham Forest before tackling Bologna in the second leg. Then there are meetings with Sunderland and Fulham, leading into a probable semi-final, against either Porto or Forest.

Yet where Forest can afford to rotate their squad in Europe, many of the Villa players who started this game may play all six. Emi Martinez, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, Morgan Rogers, Konsa and Watkins will surely be required in every one, with Emery’s options from the bench relatively limited. Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey have to yet to find top form in their second spells at Villa, while Emery does not seem fully to trust Tammy Abraham or Ian Maatsen. Jadon Sancho should be back from injury soon and Emery knows he can rely on Tyrone Mings though for now, Konsa and Torres are the first-choice pair in central defence.

Emery will be delighted with this result, if not the whole performance. He will hope Villa are as lucky in subsequent games as they were in the first half, which Bologna dominated. Before Konsa put Villa in front, the home side had a goal disallowed for a fractional offside and hit the bar through Federico Bernardeschi.

‘In the first half we didn’t control the game as we planned but in the second half we were better.’ admitted Emery. ‘Watkins is a fighter, sometimes he plays brilliantly like today and other times not. When he is not scoring we lack something but he always does his task for the team. He is always consistent in his work and that is a message for the players.’

In the 21st minute, Juan Miranda drifted inside Matty Cash and found Santiago Castro, whose miskick allowed Pau Torres to block. Seconds later, Miranda met Federico Bernardeschi’s cross on the volley and Martinez tipped over.

By now Martinez was taking an age over restarts and twice in the first half Amadou Onana stayed down after a challenge, with Villa trying desperately to regroup. But Unai Emery’s men were labouring and they thought they had gone behind midway through the half.

Cash was outjumped on halfway by Rowe and the former Norwich winger raced into Villa territory before feeding Castro. The Argentine’s effort clipped Konsa and though Cash hoofed it clear, the ball had already crossed the line – but Villa’s luck was in. VAR replays indicated Castro had been a fraction offside and the goal did not stand.

Moments later, Castro barged Konsa off the ball, the outstanding Rowe picked up the pieces and Bernardeschi met his cross with a first-time volley that struck the underside of the bar. No wonder Martinez clenched his fist in celebration and exchanged relieved glances with Torres.

The Bologna attacking trio of Rowe, Castro and Bernardeschi were causing Villa huge problems and full-backs Cash and Lucas Digne were struggling. Yet Villa have become a savvy European outfit under Emery and despite playing poorly, they stayed in the game.

McGinn’s 25-yard effort had Federico Ravaglia scrambling across his goal and a corner found Amadou Onana unmarked. Bologna were clearly unsettled by Villa’s blocking tactics to release Onana and seemed to lose focus when the next corner came.

Tielemans sent the ball towards the far post, Ravaglia grasped at thin air and Konsa escaped Lucumi’s clutches to head Villa in front. The England defender celebrated in front of the Bologna fans and a few bottles were promptly aimed in his direction.

Rowe continue to trouble Villa at the start of the second half, making another dash down the left before teeing up Tommaso Pobega, though the midfielder’s effort from 20 yards was high and wide.

Villa had survived again and they quickly doubled their lead when Miranda played Torbjorn Heggem into danger with a risky pass across the box. Heggem’s attempted clearance then rebounded off Buendia and ran perfectly for Watkins to slide the second past Ravaglia. The circumstances were ideal for Villa to kill off the tie and Rogers put a dipping effort just over before Watkins overran a pass from Buendia and allowed Ravaglia to gather while at the other end Bernardeschi struck the outside of the post from eight yards and Martinez saved brilliantly from Rowe. The winger scored the goal his display deserved when he cut inside and beat Martinez on the angle but his good work was undone when Bologna defended another corner poorly and Watkins prodded in his second.