Aston Villa 4 Middlesbrough 1

THE winning run for Boro's Reserves came to a halt in the Midlands tonight, writes MICHAEL WEADOCK from Villa Park.

Boro played well enough in the first half but couldn't get a break in front of goal.

The home side showed how it should be done when taking the lead after 19 minutes when Eric Djemba-Djemba headed in a Peter Whittingham corner.

Boro's best work through game in the final 10 minutes of the opening 45.

An excellent cross from Anthony Peacock found Tom Craddock, whose header looked destined for the back of the net until a first class save from Stefan Postma tipped the ball onto the bar.

Back came Boro. Adam Johnson and Graham Owens combined well down the left. Owens crossed into the area and found Johnson, but he delayed his shot and the home side blocked effectively.

Good work in midfield from Peacock in the final minute of the first half gave home time to pick out Craddock, but his shot went just wide, while in the final minute Boro created two chances to draw level.

Excellent chasing from Lee Cattermole kept the ball in play when the Villa rearguard had judged it to be going out for a goal kick. A low cross into the penalty area caused problems, Craddock stretched, but Postma stretched that bit further to divert the ball for a corner from which Cattermole, unmarked, headed wide from an Owens delivery.

Five minutes after restart Villa doubled their lead. Gabriel Agbonlahor latched onto a hopeful punt and thrashed a volley beyond Chris Pennock.

Boro pulled one back with 63 minutes played.

Pennock did well to deny Moore and his throw picked out Craddock, who raced to the goal-line at the other end before sending over a low cross which Stefan Postma bundled over his own line. It was a goal not dissimilar in make-up to that created by Szilard Nemeth against West Brom on Saturday, only this time the cross needed no further touch.

But Villa were soon extending their lead when, with 73 minutes played, a low drive from the edge of the Boro box from Peter Whittingham beat Pennock away to his left.

Ten minutes from time Whittingham was the architect as Villa added a fourth as he picked out Luke Moore. He and central defender Kevin Burgess, a half-time replacement for injured Andrew Taylor, slid in to reach the cross, but an attempted clearance from Burgess deflected off the Villa youngster beyond Pennock.

TEAMS

Aston Villa: Postma; Green, O'Halloran, Drobny, Ridgewell, Berson (Kabeya 83), Paul (Gardner 71), Djemba-Djemba, Agbonlahor, L Moore (Ward 83), Whittingham. Unused subs: Boyle (gk);

Middlesbrough: Pennock; Clough, Taylor (Burgess 46), Cattermole, Hines, Grounds, Owens (Walker 63), Peacock, Craddock, Kennedy (Radcliffe 74), Johnson. Unused subs: Roberts (gk).

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