Upset leaders as Ryan hits winner
Randolph; Shotton, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Downing, Howson, Leadbitter, Braithwaite (Traore 57th); Assombalonga Douglas free-kick from 25 yards. Wolves looked the more likely winners in the closing stages but left it so late as both teams committed to attack.
City almost took a sixth-minute lead when Paterson’s glancing header from Magnusson’s cross was brilliantly saved by John Ruddy, who had to make another smart save to keep out Reid’s close-range shot.
Batth’s dismissal was followed by a quick substitution as Nuno sent on defender Bennett for striker Leo Bonatini.
Then the Wolves boss received his marching orders after showing his annoyance at a free-kick on the edge of the box being awarded instead of a penalty for a foul by Aden Flint on Diogo Jota.
The free-kick saw Douglas curl his shot against a post and at that point Wanderers could have been forgiven for thinking it was not their day.
But the 10 men defended with excellent (Fletcher 79th), Gestede (Bamford 69th)
Johnstone; El Mohamady, Elphick, Chester, Hutton; Jedinak, Snodgrass,
TONY PULIS’ first game as Boro boss ended in defeat as Steve Bruce’s Villa finally recorded a win in December.
Robert Snodgrass headed in the crucial winning goal with quarter-of-an-hour remaining at the Riverside Stadium to ensure Villa moved level on points with sixth-placed Sheffield United.
Bruce was delighted to get one over on old pal Pulis.
He said: “We’ve been in management a long, long time and for years we’ve been competing against each other.
“He’s a very good appointment, he
knows what to do, how to get teams promoted – and he’s a good man, too.
“I’m delighted to beat him, because he was out to beat me but we’ll have a glass of red wine.
“Considering the problems that we’ve had with nine players missing, it’s a very satisfying win.
“It’s a decent end to December, which has been difficult for us.”
It was a tight affair on Teesside but Middlesbrough, after winning back-to-back games beforehand, narrowly lost out as Pulis’ reign started with a loss.
The former West Brom boss only took over on Boxing Day, when he was in the stands to watch the victory over Bolton.
And he was a frustrated figure in his technical area throughout the 90 minutes.
Pulis only emerged from the tunnel as the game kicked off, so there was no time for any special introduction to the supporters.
He made a statement or two in terms of his first selection but they failed to have the desired effect.
Regular full-back Cyrus Christie was only named on the bench and an opportunity was handed to Ryan Shotton down the right.
The former Stoke man, who worked under Pulis there, was asked to use organisation for the rest of the first half. With that in mind, Johnson sprang a surprise at the start of the second period, switching big centre-back Flint up front alongside Reid.
It was Reid who broke the deadlock, ending a slick passing move involving Josh Brownhill and Paterson with a clinical finish.
But Wolves refused to buckle and Fielding’s rash charge from his line to halt Doherty’s run on to an Ivan Cavaleiro pass saw Douglas level.
Flint resumed his defensive duties and Wolves began to exert pressure, with substitute Cavaleiro twice going close before Bennett had the final say. Onomah (Grealish 37th), Hourihane, Adomah (Bjarnason 90th), Adomah, Hogan (Hepburn-Murphy 75th) Robert Snodgrass A Madley his long throw to regularly deliver balls into the box.
The aim was to see target-man Rudy Gestede – back in the side for the first time since August – make a nuisance of himself in the area.
He had a couple of first-half efforts but nothing to really trouble goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Villa, without a win in their five previous December fixtures, caused occasional problems, although Snodgrass’ free-kick at Darren Randolph was the only effort recorded on target in the opening 20 minutes by either side.
Boro’s Britt Assombalonga headed wide a Grant Leadbitter corner but the best chance of the half came after the home team gifted possession to the visitors.
Ben Gibson played a pass to former team-mate Albert Adomah. The winger’s low strike rolled straight into Randolph.
Middlesbrough’s best first-half chance was when Jonny Howson struck a volley straight at Johnstone.
Pulis’ first substitution was to introduce Adama Traore.
But it was the man who replaced Traore at Villa, Adomah, who created the winning goal.
The Ghana winger, who swapped clubs in August 2016, sent over a teasing deep cross for Snodgrass to dive and head inside the bottom corner.
Pulis said: “I thought Villa did well, they played with a back four and five in front and never let us get in behind.
“I wanted to play with two forwards, see what Rudy Gestede and Britt Assombalonga were like together with Stewart Downing and Martin Braithwaite – and with the quality they’ve got you’d hope we’d create opportunities.
“I just thought we were very, very slow at times. We needed to move the ball quicker and Adama Traore when he came on livened it up.
“He carried the ball and livened the crowd, which is important in home games. He was definitely a plus.”
(KO 3pm unless stated)
EMIRATES FA CUP 3RD ROUND
WLWWdD ...................... Aston Villa Peterborough ..................... WLDDWW dLWLLL ...................... Birmingham Burton Albion ...................... LWDLWW DWDWLW ............................. Bolton Huddersfield ........................... LLLLWD LWLDLD ........... AFC Bournemouth Wigan ................................ DWWDWW DWDWdW ....................... Brentford Notts County ........................ DLDDDW dWWWWL ........................... Cardiff Mansfield ........................... WWWDLD LWDLWW ........................... Carlisle Sheff Wed ............................. LWDdLW WLDWWW ...................... Coventry Stoke ..................................... WDLLLD DWWDWW ..................... Blackburn Hull ......................................... WLdDLL DDWWDW ..................... Doncaster Rochdale ................................ DLLWLL WWWLDW .......................... Exeter West Brom .............................. LLDLdL DLDWWW .......................... Fulham Southampton ......................... DLLDLL LWDWWd ........................... Ipswich Sheff Utd .............................. WLWLLD WWWWWW .................... Man City Burnley ................................. LWWLdD WWWLWD ........................ Man Utd Derby ................................. WWDWWd
(Playing Friday, 8pm)
LWWLWW .............. Middlesbrough Sunderland ............................ DLLWdL
(1:00)
WLdWWD ........................... Millwall Barnsley ................................. WDLLdL DWLLLL ......................... Newcastle Luton ................................ WDWWWW LDLWDd ............... Newport County Leeds ................................... LLLWWW
(Playing Sunday, 12pm)
LLDDWL ............................ Norwich Chelsea ............................... WWDLWd
(5:30)
WWWLWL ................. Nottm Forest Arsenal ................................. WLLWDd
(Playing Sunday, 4pm)
WWLDLD ............................... QPR Milton Keynes Dons ............. WWDLDL WLLWWW ................... Shrewsbury West Ham .............................. LLLWLD
(Playing Sunday, 2pm)
WDDWdW ..................... Stevenage Reading ................................ LWDWLL WDWWWW ..... Tottenham Hotspur AFC Wimbledon .................... WLWdLL
(Playing Sunday, 3pm)
LWLDLW ............................ Watford Bristol City ........................ WWdWWD WWWWdW ........... Wolverhampton Swansea .................................. LLLLLL WWWWWW ................... Wycombe Preston North End ................ LLWDWd DWWLDW ............................ Yeovil Bradford ............................. LWWWWL
Liverpool v Everton (Friday 7:55pm), Fleetwood Town v Leicester (12:45), Brighton v Crystal Palace (Monday 7:45pm)
SKY BET LEAGUE ONE
LDWDLD .......................... Charlton Oldham .................................. LdLWDL DLLLWL ........................ Oxford Utd Blackpool ............................... LLWdLD DWLWWW ....................... Plymouth Bury ...................................... DDdWLL
Northampton v Southend
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
WWDDWL ........ Accrington Stanley Chesterfield ............................ LDDLLL WLdWWD ...................... Colchester Cheltenham ......................... DWLDLW
Forest Green v Port Vale, Grimsby v Morecambe
XVANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE
DWLLLD ............................. Barrow Tranmere ............................... DDLDLW WLDLDD ........................... Bromley AFC Fylde .............................. LWLLDL dLWWWL ...................... Dag & Red Hartlepool ............................... LdLLLD WWLWWD ............................ Dover Aldershot .............................. LWWdLD LDLDDD .......................... Eastleigh Guiseley ................................ DLLLDW LWWWWW .......... Ebbsfleet United Chester FC ............................ LLDDDL WWLLDD ..................... Gateshead Sutton Utd ........................... DLWWLW LLDDWW .................. Leyton Orient Boreham Wood ...................... ddWLDd WLdDWW ................... Macclesfield Solihull Moors ........................ LWDLLL WDLDdW ............ Maidenhead Utd FC Halifax .............................. DLLLWL DWWWLd ....................... Wrexham Torquay ................................ DWLWLD
Woking v Maidstone Utd LADBROKES SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP
LLLLDL ............................... Brechin Morton ................................ WLWDDW LWWDdL ...................... Dumbarton Dunfermline ........................... dLDWLL LWddDL ............................... Falkirk Dundee Utd ......................... dWLWDW WWWdWd ...................... Livingston Queen of South .................. WWddDW
St Mirren v Inverness CT Middlesbrough, Wycombe, Yeovil, Oxford Utd, Colchester, Barrow, Leyton Orient, Maidenhead Utd, Dumbarton, Livingston
Aston Villa, AFC Bournemouth, Birmingham, Doncaster, Man City, Newcastle, QPR, Tottenham Hotspur, Macclesfield, Wrexham
Huddersfield, West Brom, Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, Morton