TONY PULIS insists Middlesbrough are still in their Championship play-off semi-final, but concedes Aston Villa have claimed a significant advantage ahead of Tuesday’s second leg at Villa Park.

Mile Jedinak’s first-half header secured Villa a 1-0 win at the Riverside this evening, with Boro failing to get back on level terms after the Australian headed home in the 15th minute.

Boro won at Villa Park in the Carabao Cup in September, but failed to win seven of their last nine away games in the regular Championship season.

They will have to win on Tuesday to have any chance of making it to Wembley, and while Steve Bruce insists the tie is still very much in the balance, Pulis concedes it is advantage Villa.

The Boro boss said: “We’re obviously disappointed. I thought we did enough not to lose the game today. But it’s small margins, and the set play is a disappointment. We’re disappointed they’ve scored off that.

“Villa are in the ascendancy in the tie, you can’t hide that fact. Going to Villa Park, in front of a full house, it gives them the advantage. But there’s still 90 minutes to play, and anything can happen in 90 minutes.”

Boro’s best chances fell to Britt Assombalonga in the first half, but the striker failed to find the target with two decent opportunities and saw a close-range header saved by Sam Johnstone.

Fabio da Silva forced Johnstone to make a smart save in the second half, but most of Boro’s attacks faltered in the face of some resolute Villa defending.

John Terry and James Chester were excellent at the heart of the visitors’ back four, while Alan Hutton performed superbly to completely negate the threat of Adama Traore.

Traore was channelled down a series of blind alleys as Hutton followed him from one side of the field to the other, but Pulis feels it would be unfair to be too critical of the former Villa winger.

He said: “There were times today where Adama had good patches and good spells. He’s a terrific player, he’s got fantastic talent, and on his day he can do things.

“But we had other players who played well today as well, and I think sometimes that fact is hidden because of Adama’s rise to fame.

“It’s all to play for. It’ll be a full house, and I’ve been there before and experienced that. The place will be rocking, and Villa have got the advantage.”

Things might have been worse for Boro had Darren Randolph not produced an excellent first-half save, with the Republic of Ireland international tipping Robert Snodgrass’ goalbound effort onto the post.

Pulis said: “I think that was their only shot on target. There was the set-play, and the one shot on target that Darren has saved. That was what we had to contend with.

“I was more concerned with trying to get that little bit of quality up the other end. That was more of an issue rather than them causing us problems.”