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ASTON VILLA v MIDDLESBROUGH, PREMIER LEAGUE, 2nd OCTOBER 2005
Match report by The Wizard Of Smog
Aston Villa: Sorensen, De La Cruz (Samuel, ht), Hughes, Mellberg (cpt), Ridgewell, Bouma (Bakke, 78), Milner, Davis, Barry, Berger, Moore, Angel. Subs not used: Taylor, Cahill, Djemba-Djemba.
Middlesbrough: Jones, Xavier, Riggott, Southgate (cpt), Pogatetz, Mendieta (Queudrue, 64), Boateng, Rochemback, Doriva, Yakubu, Nemeth (Parnaby, 69). Subs not used: Knight, Maccarone, Hasselbaink.
Referee: Mike Dean
Which Boro will turn up?
For Boro fans this was the key question ahead of today's encounter with Villa. Would we see the determined, well organised and brilliantly opportunistic team that put Arsenal to the sword, or the clueless shower who let relegation favourites Sunderland walk off with the points last Sunday and thus guaranteed a week of pain for any Boro fan with deckchair-tendency workmates? If it was the former, an adrenaline-packed tussle with a Villa team who've started the season showing real attacking ambition was in prospect; if the latter, annihilation loomed.
Villa kicked off and their first move forward was rebuffed and turned into an early break for Yakubu which ended without a goal but with a confidence-boosting shot on target in the first minute.
In the fourth minute Milner skinned a stumbling Pogatetz but his cross/pass was wasteful. A few minutes later it was Moore's turn to torment the Austrian with his pace and he forced a foul. The subsequent free kick was also wasted but Pogatetz was looking worryingly vulnerable to pace.
Xavier conceded a foul a yard outside the box in the twelfth minute. Southgate headed away but it fell for Bouma whose shot went wide.
In the fourteenth Nemeth slipped his marker and danced past a couple of tackles along the edge of the Villa box, only to shoot straight at Sorensen. Good movement though. Straight back to the other end and a quick move by Villa ended in a good opportunity for Angel, whose shot went straight to Jones who collected.
After a quarter hour this was shaping up to be an entertaining game, with both teams obviously fancying their chances of all three points.
In the twenty-third Barry was booked for a foul on Rochemback who went off for a while but was able to resume. So far the Boro midfield had not been firing properly but on twenty-four minutes Boateng spotted Pogatetz in space on the left and released him but Sorensen had no problem with the subsequent cross.
Boro's first corner arrived on twenty-six and was taken by Rochemback. Sorensen again collected without difficulty.
A Villa attack on the half hour came to nothing but caused a moment's worry as Jones collided heavily with the woodwork.
Shortly after, Boateng and Doriva took turns to wait in vain for a bobbling ball to sit up. Boro were looking more comfortable by now with Rochemback getting more into the game, then out of nothing... YES!! On thirty-two Yakubu pounced on an error by De La Cruz, and smashed a volley into the Villa net. 0-1! COME ON BORO!
On thirty-five Rochemback got himself into a great position with some neat head control but was denied by a good save from Sorensen.
Villa were still threatening though and Moore should have equalised on thirty-eight when he had a good view of goal for his headed effort from De La Cruz's laser-guided cross. At the back though Villa's defenders were clearly rattled by Yakubu.
As half time approached Milner again bypassed Pogatetz and Xavier put his cross behind. Berger blasted wide from the corner and that was it for the first half, there being only one minute added time.
A scrappy but nonetheless entertaining fourty-five ended with Boro in an encouraging position and Villa leaving the pitch to the booing of their own fans.
Half-time fan reaction:
"Best 45 since the Arsenal game"
"Rochemback best player by a mile"
"Keep this up and we can win this comfortably"
"So nice to see everyone looking solid"
"Mendieta looking dangerous".
Boro started the second half unchanged but Villa brought on Samuel for De La Cruz.
The second half started very quietly with nothing of note happening in the first five minutes, which suited Boro, until a ricochet found Moore unmarked on the edge of the Boro area and his excellent shot found Boro's net. 1-1.
The goal lifted Villa who set about their work with much greater zest. Milner skinned Pogatetz again and got in a dangerous cross, which Riggott cleared, nothing coming from the resultant corner. Moore burst through from midfield and released Berger whose shot hit the foot of the post. Boro needed stability and a return to the form of the first half - and quickly.
It didn't come, and as the hour came up it was one-way traffic in the home side's favour, with Milner and Moore acting as Boro's tormentors-in-chief.
Boro nerves were further stretched on sixty-three when Villa got a direct free kick in a central position about a yard outside the area. There was huge Red relief when Berger, left-footed, blasted into the wall. Straight back to the other end and Mendieta won a free kick in a similarly threatening position. His body language made clear that he intended to take this one himself. The Villa wall stood up and the ball went for a corner, then another and YEEEEES! It broke for Boateng whose deflected shot beat Sorensen. 1-2! COME ON BORO!
Steve McClaren took off Mendieta and replaced him with Queudrue at this point with Nemeth moving wide right. Nemeth was himself replaced shortly afterwards by Parnaby. Villa were far from finished however and Southgate needed a clear head to block from the restart.
Good work by Yakubu put Parnaby in a great position on seventy-two but his nerve seemed to fail and the finish was nowhere.
With fifteen minutes to go Boro were looking good for the three points, their second goal seeming to have taken the breath from Villa and their once again silent support, who had woken up briefly after the equaliser.
With two minutes of normal time left Rochemback, harried by Barry, refused to give up and was rewarded for his persistence by getting into a position to play a great ball to Boateng in the penalty area, who was bundled over by Ridgewell. Mr Dean didn't hesitate to give the penalty and Villa had no argument. Yakubu converted coolly. 1-3! COME ON BORO!
On ninety-three Davis scored a consolation to give a final score that rather flattered Villa. 2-3.
This was a result that Boro badly needed, their first win on a Sunday after a European game and a lift the fans needed after deckchair-gate. We're back above the skunks and last but not least, this was a very important confidence boost before the international break.
Crisis? What crisis?
COME ON BORO!
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