Villa’s line-up’s inexperienced: well, that’s the news that’s breaking,
So, could it possibly be that they’ll be there for the taking?
It’s a glorious day for football and conditions are perfect,
This could be a great scalp for Boro and I hope that I’m correct.

It’s a very difficult game on which the Boro now embark,
With the hosts, so far, unbeaten at their home, Villa Park,
This is Southgate’s 600th career club start,
And, in Boro’s success, he has played a massive part.

Boro pick the ball up just short of the halfway line,
Then Mendi and Yakubu most cleverly combine,
Yakubu takes his man on; moves to the left then to the right,
He shot and found the target: Sorensen saved, but had a fright.

Milner’s on fire and giving Pogatetz a real, rough ride,
It’s on that side we’re struggling and that cannot be denied,
He gave away a free kick in a dangerous position,
And, although Villa were then thwarted, we certainly need no repetition.

Boro must be vigilant and constantly on guard,
When Xavier blocks Berger, outside the box by just a yard,
The Villa, it must be said, have started better than the Boro,
Due, possibly, to the fact Yakubu’s ploughing a lone furrow.

The position taken up by Nemeth was positively great,
To accept a ball from big Yak and then accelerate,
And create a situation that he then tried to exploit,
By tremendous perseverance and some footwork most adroit.

On the quarter-hour, Angel should have put the ball away,
When the Boro were caught napping, in a state of disarray,
He ghosted behind Southgate and a goal was not in doubt,
But he scuffed it with his left foot, from only six yards’ out.

The linesman came then to the rescue, of the Villa’s De La Cruz,
Caught out of position, only then the ball to lose,
It’s a game that’s become, sadly, more than a little scrappy,
And manager, Steve McClaren, is not a very happy chappie.

Barry blocked off Rochemback and caused our man to bellow,
He was beaten by tremendous skill and Barry got a yellow,
Though it hasn’t been a dirty game, the caution was deserved,
As our man made off towards the goal, then Barry became unnerved.

Southgate made two clearances, then how the home fans roared,
Milner broke through the middle and they felt he should have scored,
Then he simply overplayed it and Villa gave up the ghost,
As Brad Jones made an easy save then collided with a post.

Pogatetz then curled a sweet ball right into the Villa box,
And Yakubu, so alert, was the first out of the blocks,
He caught it on the volley and then he gave it such a whack,
Like a rocket it found the Villa net, so “Very well done, Yak!”

Handball by Pogatetz gives Villa a promising free kick,
Then up stepped Pablo Angel, to give the ball some stick,
He fired it far too high, to be then left feeling bitter,
Though he very soon felt better when Rochemback missed a sitter.

Villa fans are restless and their team is being booed,
Then Gareth Barry raised their hopes and showed great attitude,
A wondrous cross from De La Cruz put one on a plate for Moore,
But he missed from only six yards: he’ll be hurt: of that I’m sure.

Yak’s goal divides the teams as the half-time whistle blows,
Boos echo around Villa Park as fans’ impatience grows,
Milner’s created problems and led Pogatetz a dance,
And provided for the hosts more than a single gilt-edged chance.

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Aston Villa won’t lie down, and that they’ve clearly shown,
So Boro would like a second, to create a comfort zone,
O’Leary rings the changes, for he doesn’t want to lose,
And he brings on Jlloyd Samuel, in place of De La Cruz.

Groaning Aston Villa fans: some from across the oceans,
Have, so far, seen so little, to stir up their emotions,
But, how things quickly change, as Boro’s chicks come home to roost,
Luke Moore scores an excellent goal, to give their fans a boost.

That put a truly massive smile back on O’Leary’s face,
For, against the run of play, he had found some breathing space,
Now the home fans were rejoicing and they’d suddenly been warmed,
What a difference just one goal makes: Villa were suddenly transformed.

Moore is once more in the box and our defence is shocking,
He plays the ball to Berger and the Boro are now rocking,
A terrific strike from distance left Jones totally nonplussed,
When it struck the outside of the post and Berger simply cussed.

Milner’s once more on the rampage and he’s ripping us to shreds,
With Pogatetz bamboozled it is time to clear our heads,
The Boro struggled hard to clear, in a dangerous Villa spell,
And the chance was really wasted, by Juan Pablo Angel.

Villa just continued with this sudden turnaround,
And goal-scorer Moore was then hauled to the ground,
There’s an air of expectation in the Aston Villa air,
Then Berger’s kick was scrambled clear, but we look the worse for wear.

With nineteen second-half minutes played and Aston Villa cruising,
Boro took the lead again, which our fans thought quite amusing,
For the scorer was George Boateng, a former Villa great,
He celebrated wildly as if he’d had one o'er the eight.

The home fans didn’t enjoy it much, but Boateng certainly did,
If you’d had a little bet on him you’d have won a good few quid,
Suddenly, from the field of play, Mendieta then withdrew,
To be replaced – to huge applause – by the Frenchman, Franck Queudrue.

Then Parnaby’s on for Nemeth, as now for Villa, things look dark,
And there seems an air of acceptance, all around Villa Park,
Berger took a free kick then uncontrolled anger he did vent,
Claiming the wall not ten yards' distant and he’s booked for dissent.

With Boro in the driving seat, the Villa clouds look blacker,
So they take off Wilfred Bouma and then bring on Eirik Bakke,
Rochemback’s cynically fouled: it was really evil-looking,
And Ridgewell then became the referee’s third Villa booking.

Suddenly, Boateng’s on attack: a sight that’s pretty rare,
He’s fouled and hurt but soon the pain’s much easier to bear,
A penalty’s given instantly but I think there was some doubt,
For, did the foul take place inside the box, or was it slightly out?

But up stepped striker Yak, as cool as he can be,
To roll it past the ‘keeper and make the Boro tally three,
But Rochemback’s contribution really shouldn’t be forgotten,
Now Villa fans are streaming home and, no doubt, feeling rotten.

Rochemback then attempted what many older fans might say,
Reminded them of a World Cup, and something á la Pele,
From well inside the Boro half, and one must admire his cheek,
But Sorensen saved it on the line or it would have been a freak.

With the last kick of the match, the Villa scored their number two,
And that was disappointing, for the Boro, dressed in blue,
The hoodoo of ‘being unable to win a game on Sunday,’
Was killed so, for the travelling fans, this was something of a fun-day.

O’Leary later claimed that all three Boro goals were “gifted,”
But one thing that’s for certain is, that Boro fans were lifted,
This win will go a long way, to give supporters much new hope,
Now that we’ve demonstrated that we can win post-Europe.