Middlesbrough 0-1 Aston Villa: Matty Cash hits deflected 87th-minute winner

Aston Villa won an FA Cup tie for the first time since 2016 after Matty Cash hit a late winner at Middlesbrough.

Championship club Boro were close to earning a replay when Cash’s attempt from outside the box took a heavy deflection and beat Tom Glover.

Australian keeper Glover had earlier frustrated the Premier League visitors at a vibrant Riverside Stadium with a string of saves to keep out young Colombia forward Jhon Duran (twice) and captain John McGinn.

Villa’s frustrations grew when Ezri Konsa’s glancing header bounced back off a post before Poland full-back Cash struck his fourth goal of the season in three different competitions.

It earned Villa, seven-time FA Cup winners who last lifted the trophy in 1957, a first victory in the competition since defeating League Two Wycombe in a third-round replay in 2016.

They had suffered eight straight defeats and been on the wrong end of upsets against League One Peterborough in 2018 and League Two Stevenage in 2023.

“We were speaking before the match about the FA Cup, a very historic cup competition, maybe the best cup competition in the world,” said Villa boss Unai Emery.

“We’re speaking about our players, how much they were successful in this competition – not a lot! Only Emiliano [Martinez] and Calum Chambers won with Arsenal.

“A long time Aston Villa was successful in this competition with seven titles. Of course we are here trying to do another step ahead in this club.”

Middlesbrough have already enjoyed one impressive cup run this season after reaching the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, where they face Chelsea over two legs on Tuesday and 23 January.

But they managed just one attempt on target when Martinez kept out Morgan Rogers before half-time.

Villa, second in the Premier League, felt they should have won a penalty when Isaiah Jones clipped Alex Moreno in the second half.

But with no video assistant referee (VAR) in operation at grounds outside the Premier League, play was allowed to carry on.

With a replay at Villa Park looming, Cash found the net following an assist by substitute Douglas Luiz.

Reaction from Middlesbrough-Aston Villa, plus the rest of Saturday’s FA Cup tiesHow did you rate Aston Villa’s performance? Have your say hereAston Villa have won the FA Cup seven times but not since 1957Relief as Villa get the job doneThere was understandable relief from Emery and his players when referee Robert Jones blew the final whistle, sparking celebrations from Villa’s travelling fans.

They have waited a long time to see their side win a match in the competition and can now look forward to Monday’s fourth-round draw.

Although Ollie Watkins started on the substitutes bench, the Villa boss fielded a strong side.

The tie was still in the balance by the time the England forward was introduced with 20 minutes to go.

Nicolo Zaniolo, another substitute, went close with a curling attempt from distance before Cash added to goals he had scored this season in the Premier League (2) and Europa Conference League.

Player of the match

GloverTom Glover

with an average of 6.75

Squad number23Player nameGlover

Squad number16Player nameHowson

Squad number3Player namevan den Berg

Squad number24Player nameBangura

Squad number4Player nameBarlaser

Squad number5Player nameClarke

Squad number9Player nameLatte Lath

Squad number7Player nameHackney

Squad number10Player nameRogers

Squad number19Player nameCoburn

Squad number11Player nameJones

Squad number27Player nameEngel

Squad number29Player nameGreenwood

Squad number22Player nameCoulson

Squad number14Player nameGilbert

Squad number6Player nameFry

Aston VillaSquad number7Player nameMcGinn

Squad number2Player nameCash

Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz

Squad number11Player nameWatkins

Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey

Squad number44Player nameKamara

Squad number15Player nameÁlex Moreno

Squad number4Player nameKonsa

Squad number22Player nameZaniolo

Squad number1Player nameE MartĂ­nez

Squad number31Player nameBailey

Squad number32Player nameDendoncker

Squad number17Player nameLenglet

Squad number19Player nameDiaby

Squad number24Player nameDurĂĄn

Line-upsMiddlesbroughFormation 4-2-3-1

23Glover3van den Berg5Clarke27Engel24BanguraSubstituted forCoulsonat 83’minutes4BarlaserSubstituted forGilbertat 83’minutes7HackneySubstituted forHowsonat 59’minutes11JonesBooked at 23minsSubstituted forFryat 83’minutes10Rogers29Greenwood19CoburnSubstituted forLatte Lathat 59’minutesSubstitutes6Fry9Latte Lath14Gilbert16Howson22Coulson25Crooks32Jones49McCabe52BridgeAston VillaFormation 4-2-3-1

1E MartĂ­nez2CashBooked at 74mins17LengletBooked at 82mins4KonsaBooked at 37mins15Moreno44Kamara32DendonckerSubstituted forDouglas Luizat 70’minutes31BaileyBooked at 40minsSubstituted forZanioloat 69’minutesBooked at 80mins7McGinnSubstituted forDiabyat 70’minutes41J Ramsey24DurĂĄnSubstituted forWatkinsat 70’minutesSubstitutes3Diego Carlos6Douglas Luiz11Watkins19Diaby22Zaniolo42Marschall47Iroegbunam78ProctorReferee:Robert Jones

Attendance:25,022

Match StatsLive TextMatch ends, Middlesbrough 0, Aston Villa 1.

Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Aston Villa 1.

Offside, Middlesbrough. Sam Greenwood is caught offside.

Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Jacob Ramsey.

Attempt blocked. Alex Gilbert (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Offside, Middlesbrough. Dael Fry is caught offside.

Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Boubacar Kamara.

Foul by Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa).

Hayden Coulson (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Boubacar Kamara (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Alex Gilbert (Middlesbrough).

Goal! Middlesbrough 0, Aston Villa 1. Matty Cash (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Douglas Luiz following a corner.

Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Rav van den Berg.

Attempt missed. NicolĂČ Zaniolo (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Boubacar Kamara.

Offside, Middlesbrough. Dael Fry is caught offside.

Substitution, Middlesbrough. Hayden Coulson replaces Alex Bangura.

Substitution, Middlesbrough. Dael Fry replaces Isaiah Jones.

Substitution, Middlesbrough. Alex Gilbert replaces Daniel Barlaser.

Clément Lenglet (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Foul by Clément Lenglet (Aston Villa).

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