ASTON VILLA have the advantage heading back to Villa Park on Tuesday after a 1-0 win at the Riverside against a flat Boro at the Riverside on Saturday evening.
Former Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak headed the winner from a corner in the first half and it seemed to stun Boro who just couldn't find a way back into the game.
It has been almost three months since Boro failed to score in a game but they just didn't do enough to trouble Sam Johnstone in the Villa goal ensuring the visitors have the edge going to Tuesday's second leg at Villa Park where Villa have lost just six times since the start of last season.
Tony Pulls named an unchanged lineup from the one that started last Sunday at Ipswich, while Steve Bruce made six changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Millwall on the last day of the regular season as all the big hitters came back in. Sam Johnstone, Ahmed Elmohamady, John Terry, Robert Snodgrass, Jack Grealish and Lewis Grabben all started.
Perhaps not a surprise, but since Tony Pulis's arrival in December Boro have become somewhat a set piece specialist side and he would have been fuming to see his side concede from one. it was a fairly routine corner from Grealish that found Jedinak at the near post and his impressive flick found the net, his first goal away from home since November of 2014.
A brilliant save from Darren Randolph denied Robert Snodgrass what looked to be a certain goal after his curling strike looked set for the bottom corner but Randolph managed to get across and tip his shot onto the post just before the break.
Boro came out with more intensity in the second half and pushed for an equaliser but were dealt a huge blow when defender Daniel Ayala had to be replaced with a leg injury. Fabio was his replacement. It was Fabio who created Boro's best chance with his first touch as he put the ball into the box however, it was just behind Britt Assombalonga who would have had a tap-in.
Pulls threw one last roll of the dice taking off Assombalonga who had been largely ineffective and replacing him with Patrick Bamford but the Villa defence stood strong and had a late blow themselves when Ahmed Elmohamady went down and had to be replaced and he now looks a doubt for the return leg on Tuesday night.
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| (C)BBC Sport |
Former Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak headed the winner from a corner in the first half and it seemed to stun Boro who just couldn't find a way back into the game.
It has been almost three months since Boro failed to score in a game but they just didn't do enough to trouble Sam Johnstone in the Villa goal ensuring the visitors have the edge going to Tuesday's second leg at Villa Park where Villa have lost just six times since the start of last season.
Tony Pulls named an unchanged lineup from the one that started last Sunday at Ipswich, while Steve Bruce made six changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Millwall on the last day of the regular season as all the big hitters came back in. Sam Johnstone, Ahmed Elmohamady, John Terry, Robert Snodgrass, Jack Grealish and Lewis Grabben all started.
Perhaps not a surprise, but since Tony Pulis's arrival in December Boro have become somewhat a set piece specialist side and he would have been fuming to see his side concede from one. it was a fairly routine corner from Grealish that found Jedinak at the near post and his impressive flick found the net, his first goal away from home since November of 2014.
A brilliant save from Darren Randolph denied Robert Snodgrass what looked to be a certain goal after his curling strike looked set for the bottom corner but Randolph managed to get across and tip his shot onto the post just before the break.
Boro came out with more intensity in the second half and pushed for an equaliser but were dealt a huge blow when defender Daniel Ayala had to be replaced with a leg injury. Fabio was his replacement. It was Fabio who created Boro's best chance with his first touch as he put the ball into the box however, it was just behind Britt Assombalonga who would have had a tap-in.
Pulls threw one last roll of the dice taking off Assombalonga who had been largely ineffective and replacing him with Patrick Bamford but the Villa defence stood strong and had a late blow themselves when Ahmed Elmohamady went down and had to be replaced and he now looks a doubt for the return leg on Tuesday night.
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