Where Do They Go From Here?

BORO 0 - 3 Aston Villa

BORO were, tonight, spared from falling into the relegation zone after local rivals, Sunderland, were humiliated in a 7-1 away drumming to Everton, dropping below BORO on goal difference.

BORO again failed to entertain as home fans could be seen leaving The Riverside as early as the 58th minute when Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor planted Villa's third goal past BORO keeper Mark Schwarzer.

BORO opened with few chances, but were determined to test Scott Carson's confidence after his midweek shambles for England. His nerves did come to show early on as his first touch of the ball was a sliced clearance and an early shot was allowed to squirm under him, fortunately for Villa it rolled just wide.

Gareth Southgate might have been pleased with the first 30 minutes or so, as BORO managed not to concede, as they have done so many times in recent weeks. But it was Villa who ended the first half on top of the game and it was John Carew who gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half time. Controlling Gareth Barry's cross with a knee, before lashing the ball past Mark Schwarzer. Not the end to the first half that Southgate was looking for.

Unlike in recent games, BORO did not seem to come out for the second half fired up and determined to get back into the game and it just three minutes were played, before BORO youngster Lee Cattermole made a hash of his clearance, which looped into the BORO box and into the path of Villa defender Olof Mellberg who struck home for Villa's second goal of the game.

The BORO fans were clearly frustrated, yet still they tried to get behind the players; "C' Mon BORO" ringing around the Riverside.

Gareth Southgate introduced Fabio Rochemback to a smattering of applause in the 53rd minute as he replaced Lee Cattermole.

But Fabio's introduction did little to add fire to the game, despite some good link up play with Aliadiere and Downing.

BORO were down and out just 10 minutes later when Scott Carson earned himself an assist, as his long goal kick bounced to Gabriel Agbonlahor who pushed his way past Jonathan Woodgate to score past a seemingly wrong footed Mark Schwarzer.

Agbonlahor then had a chance to make it four as his shot narrowly missed, agonisingly ricocheting off the post.

But the BORO fans had seen enough and The Riverside's second lowest attendance of the season petered away as the game wound down to yet another disappointing result and to a team who have won four of the last five games at the Riverside.

Attendance: 23,900
BORO Blog BORO Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil