There will be a minimum of three minutes added onto the end of this half.

Gardner slips the ball through to Agbonlahor and the pacy striker clips a shot in which cannons back off the post, on reflection Schwarzer appears to have got a touch on the ball.

Downing lets off a cracker of a shot but Carson gets down brilliantly to tip the ball round the post.

Boateng lets off a good looking shot from the edg of the area but Carson who has been largely an onlooker for much of this match gets down well to save the shot.

Larsen makes way for Curtis Davies and the former looks a little bemused with the decision.

Downing is in space 25 yards out but he doesn't have any other options than to shoot and sends his effort well wide out to the left hand side.

Villa bring on Craig Gardner for Petrov and it looks as though both sies know the game is over.

Rochemback takes the free-kick but his shot is sent straight into the legs of the Villa defence and was very tame.

Hutchinson tries to make his mark on this match straight after coming on, ghosting past Laursen before being brought down by Knight.

Aliadiere makes way for Ben Hutchinson and the Frenchman has been very quiet today.

Shaun Maloney comes on for Carew as the young Scottish striker gets a run out late on.

O'Neil tries to make something out of nothing, firing in a shot from distance but his effort is awful and Carson can watch the ball wide.

A number of Middlesbrough supporters are already heading for the exits and Gareth Southgate's tenure in charge of 'Boro could well be coming to a close.

Carew finds Agbonlahor who attempts to nut-meg Woodgate but the ex-Real Madrid defender closes his legs and cracks the ball out of play.

The match has become bogged down and Villa have now become focused on keeping a clean sheet.

Barry goes in hard with Young and brings the left-back down which results in a stern telling off from the referee.

Agbonlahor picks up the ball and releases Young who fires in early on but his shot is sent high over the bar.

Pogatez wins a corner for 'Boro on the break and tries to get the small group of home support to get behind the team.

Agbonlahor races through on goal and holds of Jonathan Woodgate before blasting in a shot which has Schwarzer beaten all ends up.

Young is caught offside but there is little complaint from the visitors as the victory appeals comfortable at the minute.

Laursen is under pressure but instead of clearing the ball into touch, the defender slides the ball back to Carson who has to drill the ball out quickly as Aliadiere charges the ball down.

Gareth Southgate is forced to make a change after that goal, bringing on Fabio Rochemback for Cattermole.

Agbonlahor breaks into the box and tries a shot of his own which goes wide and Carew is not happy after making acres of room vailable for the pass at the back post.

MELLBERG watches the ball drop and cooly, almost nonchalantly slots the ball past the despairing Schwarzer.

Cattermole sees yellow after fouling Mellberg.

The ball is drifted into the box but Laursen fouls the 'keeper as he jumps with Schwarzer.

Wheater brings down Young but there is no need for a card here.

The whistle goes for half-time and Villa can count themselves fortunate to be in the lead.

Barry sends in a delightful ball for the feet of CAREW who turns and fires in a placed shot which Schwarzer can only tip into the back of the net.

The fourth official indicates there will be a minimum of three minutes added on at the end of this first half.

Carew heads the ball forward and as Agbonlahor goes to ground mass appeals for a penalty are waived away by referee Stroud.

Cattermole receives the ball on the edge of the area and sets his sights, firing in low but the shot is bent just wide and Carson lays into his defence.

Johnson swings in yet another ball but it's not his best and Mellberg can clear with his head.

The ball sits up perfectly for Reo-Coker who is unchallenged but the former Hammer's midfielder's shot flies well over the bar and Schwarzer is untested once again.

Young watches the ball drop and unleashes a rasping shot on the volley but as Schwarzer dives to his right the ball flashes inches wide of the upright.

Young finds a burst of speed for the first time in this match, flying forward and sending a ball in for the head of Agbonlahor but Luke Young gets a nick on the ball for a corner kick.

Bouma looks long with his ball but neither Agbonlahor or Carew read the pass and the ball runs out of play.

O'Neil flicks the ball audaciously past Laursen and Bouma has to race across and dive in to deny a scoring opportunity.

Schwarzer makes real hash of his clearance and the ball falls to John Carew but the former Valencia man has the ball taken off of him by Pogatez as the former tries to pull the trigger, the defender saving his 'keepers blushes.

Johnson works his way into the area showing great feet but dallies on the ball and Knight has just enough time to get back and make the clearance.

Mellberg gets to his feet after treatment and a replacement is not needed just yet.

Worrying times for the travelling support as Mellberg goes down and stays on the turf as the physio races onto the pitch.

'Boro win another corner through the impressing looking Johnson and it falls to O'Neil this time, blasting it high towards goal but to the relief of the Villa fans, the ball rises just above the crossbar.

Johnson swings the ball in and after desperate defending the ball finds its way out to Wheater who lashes his shot towards goal but Carson pulls off a fantastic one-handed save from the volley.

Johnson storms forward and sends a brilliant, low cross into the box and Knight gets his body in the way to concede a corner.

Barry clips a curling free-kick in for the head of Mellberg but the right-back can't get to the ball and Schwarzer gets to the ball.

Knight looks composed as he turns the ball back to Carson and the Englnd stopper hits the ball forward first time.

Agbonlahor uses his pace to drift infront of the 'Boro defence but he moved just too soon and is caught offside.

Yellow is the decision and Reo-Coker seems relived that it wasn't red, it really was an awful tackle.

Nigel Reo-Coker see's the red mist early on, crashing into Emanuel Pogatetz and referee Keith Stroud goes straigh to his notebook.

A truly embarrassing moment for Barry who slips on the wet surface as he hits the free-kick, sending the ball flying 10 yards wide.

Barry storms forward and is floored once again, Villa now have a free-kick from 30 yards out.

Gabriel Agbonlahor gets away from the inexperienced David Wheater after a perfect pass from Ashley Young and shoots on the turn, driving his ball just wide across the face of goal.

Barry is brought down in the middle of the park and it's a chance for the Villian's to calm things down as 'Boro enjoy much of the early possession.

Jeremie Aliadiere moves the ball forward to O'Neil and Gareth Barry cynically brings down the youngster.

Gary O'Neil comes forward with the ball and tries to find George Boateng but Zat Knight comes across well to turn the ball back towards Carson.

A ball is whipped in from the right and Cattermole storms in round the back but sends a volleyed shot flying over the bar.

Downing rushes past Martin Laursen easily and is through on goal but Scott Carson makes the save, diving low to his left to palm the ball out for a corner.

As the rain comes down, Lee Cattermole misplaces a header and his 'keeper Mark Schwarzer has to rush out to dive on the ball.

The match is yet to really spring into life but it is early days.

Adam Johnson steps up to take the corner and delivers the ball into the centre of the box but Mellberg rises higest to clear the danger.

Middlesbrough break forward through the pace of Stewart Downing who wins a corner off the legs of Olof Mellberg.

Villa get the game underway and win a corner on the left hand side through Wilfred Bouma.

Today's official is Keith Stroud from Hampshire.

Villa travel to the Riverside looking for their third consecutive league victory which would be a first under Martin O'Neill and the first time in exactly three years.

Middlesbrough are hoping for a win today to ensue that they stay out of the bottom three but have drawn their last two league games.

Aston Villa XI: Carson, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew, Agbonlahor

Middlesbrough XI: Schwarzer, Young, Woodgate, Wheater, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Cattermole, Boateng, Johnson, Aliadiere, Downing