A DREAM fifth promotion to the Premier League for Steve Bruce moved a step closer thanks to Mile Jedinak’s header.
Villa boss Bruce has already taken up rivals Birmingham twice to the top flight, as well as two times with Hull.
And the promotion guru will feel confident of having a chance to make it a quintet at Wembley later this month after getting the upper hand here.
Ex-Crystal Palace man Jedinak made the breakthrough 15 minutes in, while Robert Snodgrass was unlucky not to double the lead when his shot was turned onto a post.
Britt Assombalonga fluffed three decent chances but truthfully the hosts failed to do enough to break down Bruce’s resolute defence.
Now Tony Pulis will have to inspire a season-best performance at Villa Park on Tuesday night if Boro are to replicate their promotion success of two years ago.
This game was played against the backdrop of heartbreaking tragedy.
Bruce is having to come to terms with the loss of his mother Sheenagh who passed away earlier this month – just 88 days after his dad Joe died.
The 57-year-old has revealed how the devastating events in such close proximity have “rocked me to the bones” yet he made sure he was in the dugout for this crucial fixture.
While also in attendance was Middlesbrough’s former goalkeeping coach Leo Percovich.
The Uruguayan suffered the unimaginable loss of both his daughters Antonella and Valentina, aged just five and ten, in a car crash in Brazil in December.
Percovich, his wife Juliana and son Pietro all survived the 20-metre plunge off a bridge.
The 50-year-old and his lad took to the Riverside pitch before kick-off to thank Boro fans who raised thousands of pounds to help pay for their medical costs.
It made for a highly emotional build-up as Percovich beat his chest and hugged everyone he saw before instigating a passionate chorus of ‘Red Army’ and ‘Tee-Tee-Teessiders’.
Mo Besic almost sent the decibel level off the charts when he shot from 25 yards but his drive went narrowly wide.
The raucous atmosphere was deflated a quarter of an hour in though as Villa took the lead from their first attempt.
Jack Grealish fired in a corner to the near post where Jedinak had beaten his marker Ryan Shotton by a considerable distance to flick across goal and in.
Set pieces were proving a problem for Pulis’ men and Villa almost went two up when John Terry headed down a corner for ex-Boro man Albert Adomah to wallop into the side netting.
Britt Assombalonga was signed to address Boro’s lack of goals when he joined from Nottingham Forest for £15million.
But the 25-year-old looked to have left his lethal shooting boots at home as he squandered a hat-trick of opportunities before the break.
The first two were half-chances supplied by Jonny Howson which Assombalonga drilled wide on both occasions.
The third he really had should have stuck away as Adama Traore’s inch-perfect delivery put the ball on a plate inside the six-yard box – but Assombalonga headed straight at keeper Sam Johnstone.
Anything good the home side could muster was coming from the dazzling, dancing shoes of Traore, who traded life in Birmingham for Teesside two summers ago.
But the hosts were indebted to keeper Darren Randolph for keeping them in the game as he brilliantly palmed Snodgrass’ 20-yard curler onto the post just before the interval.
Boro’s record against the teams that finished in the top six in the regular season was poor, winning just ONE of ten games which was a 2-1 victory at Derby last month.
Garry Monk, who was axed in December after just six months in charge, spoke of his surprise at the lack of confidence in the Boro squad, even given relegation from the top flight.
Those results against the top six underline their struggles with self-belief which Pulis, who succeeded Monk, is clearly still trying to build up.
Boro lost Dani Ayala to a knee injury midway through the second half.
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His replacement Fabio should have teed up Assombalonga for an easy tap-in moments later but the Brazilian laid it frustratingly behind the striker.
And Fabio went close himself with seven minutes to go as Shotton headed a corner back across goal, but the former Manchester United kid’s header was pushed wide by Johnstone.
Traore’s influence diminished in the second half thanks to Alan Hutton, who watched the Spaniard’s every move.
As the minutes ticked away, Villa sent on Glenn Whelan and Birkir Bjarnason to batten down the hatches.
Unlikely lad Fabio still had a good chance in five minutes of injury time, finding space in the area but his curled shot was deflected wide as Pulis’ hopes faded.
It left promotion master Bruce with some joy after sadly another traumatic week and Boro with a mountain to climb in two days’ time.
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