Tuncay Sanli made the most of a Steve Sidwell howler to bring home Middlesbrough's second away win of the season from Aston Villa.
The scores were level with just two minutes on the clock when Jeremie Aliadiere cut a hopeful ball back from the byline.
It found Villa defender Sidwell but he mis-controlled and it was all the invitation Tuncay needed to steal in and blast the ball beyond Brad Friedel to win the match - with no-one more relieved than starting strike partner Afonso Alves, who had filed his own miss of the season contender moments before.
Tuncay had netted Boro's first first-half league goal in eight games to put the Teessiders into a deserved lead after just 34 minutes, with serious failings in the Villa defence again making life easy.
The ever-attacking Stewart Downing lofted in a ball over the heads of Martin Laursen and Nicky Shorey, who both seemed to stop and stare as Tuncay and Alves fell over each other to dab the ball over the line, Tuncay winning the race.
But within three minutes, parity had been restored through Sidwell - the man who would later become the villain of the piece. Ashley Young's shot was blocked, so was Gabriel Agbonlahor's but James Milner chipped the ball over to the far post for Sidwell to nod home.
Entertaining
Martin O'Neill made five changes from the side which beat Slavia Prague in midweek but striker John Carew failed a late fitness test on a hip problem.
James Milner, given a free role behind Gabriel Agbonlahor, had his best game for the club since his £12million switch from Newcastle in August.
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