MIDDLESBROUGH'S proud Riverside record was torn to shreds last night by an Aston Villa side who won for the first time on their travels this season.

Prior to the game Boro were able to boast being the only team to have not been defeated on their own patch since the current campaign started - well not anymore.

For the first time on Teesside, travel-sick Boro turned in a performance that has only been seen at other Premiership grounds in recent months.

And the seemingly imminent arrivals of Derby duo Malcolm Christie and Chris Riggott will be very much welcomed by manager Steve McClaren.

Both players are understood to be undergoing further medicals today before completing loan moves, but they will not have been impressed by the poor display from their future employers last night.

If they were in attendance, both will have seen a goal-feast in the first half, and a dreadful second-half display from the hosts.

Villa's Darius Vassell and new signing Joey Gudjonsson handed the visitors the lead, but two goals in two minutes before half-time from Massimo Maccarone and Jonathan Greening pulled Boro level.

However, immediately after the restart Gareth Barry put his side back in front and Vassell's second of the game nine minutes from time secured victory. With Dion Dublin rounding things off in injury time. Billingham boy Andrew Davies was a surprise inclusion in Boro's starting line-up.

And, despite his side conceding five goals, the product of the Academy showed his great potential with a promising display.

The highly-rated 18-year-old was drafted in as a replacement for Gareth Southgate, who missed only his second League game of the season with flu. Davies made his Premiership debut alongside Australian defender Tony Vidmar at the heart of the defence.

Alen Boksic was also out with a virus, but there was a place for former Villan George Boateng who made his comeback after being sidelined for over a month with cartilage problems.

Boro started the better and looked like a side glad to be back at home after their eighth straight away defeat at Fulham on their last outing.

McClaren's side passed it around brightly but they only had one effort from Greening, which went just the wrong side of the upright, to show from the opening quarter of an hour.

Defensively, with Davies looking impressively composed, Boro were looking strong.

And the hosts went close to taking the lead on 22 minutes when Szilard Nemeth's right-foot shot was turned away for a corner after some good work by Stuart Parnaby and Joseph-Desire Job.

Nemeth then had a first time volley from 20-yards well held by Peter Enckelman, as Boro looked like taking the lead.

However, all of Boro's good work was suddenly thrown out of the window on 24 minutes.

Villa striker Vassell capitalised on hesitation from Parnaby and the England striker nicked in and poked in the first goal of the game, despite Vidmar's best efforts at blocking.

Suddenly the game burst into life. Nemeth's cheeky flick went marginally wide after Geremi's good cross; and Villa's other two forwards on show - Dublin and Stefan Moore - both went close with shots.

And it was the visitors who extended their lead, much to the embarrassment of Mark Schwarzer on 31 minutes.

The normally reliable goalkeeper was beaten from fully 35 yards by a stinging free-kick from former Real Betis midfielder Gudjonsson, who had previously been fouled by Greening.

But, just as the Riverside faithful began to turn on their heroes, Maccarone suddenly handed his side a lifeline with his sixth goal of the season just two minutes later.

The Italian was on hand to head past Enckelman from close range after Villa's failure to cope with Geremi's punt forward.

And then on 35 minutes Greening's good run into the box, after Parnaby put him through, saw him get beyond Jlloyd Samuel and side-foot into Enckelman's bottom right corner to level matters - and the score remained the same until the interval.

But within two minutes of the restart it was normal service resumed on the goal front - but Villa's third came from an unlikely source.

German midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger's volley from just outside the box hit Barry, who got lucky with his touch and it fell nicely for him to place the ball beyond Schwarzer from around six yards.

Boateng, well known for his uncompromising ways, was shown the yellow card for a heavy challenge on Gudjonsson, which incensed Villa boss Graham Taylor and his old supporters.

With time running out, McClaren brought on young full-back David Murphy for Job - much to the disappointment of the fans and the player.

Job, who is wanted by Paris St Germain, walked leisurely off the pitch and clearly did not want to be replaced.

It was a move that had little effect either. Nine minutes from time Vassell controlled Samuel's cross before turning and firing in a fierce right-foot strike in off the underside bar and Dublin's 12th of the campaign cemented victory in the closing stages

Result: Middlesbrough 2 5 Aston Villa

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