Tam’s seventh heaven

Middlesbrough 0 Aston Villa 3

TAMMY ABRAHAM kept up his amazing scoring streak as Villa maintained their play-off push – and a remarkable Riverside run.

Skipper James Chester handed his side a richly-deserved 20th-minute lead and on-loan Chelsea striker Abraham grabbed his seventh goal in four games on 64 minutes.

Boro’s Darren Randolph was then guilty of a calamitous mistake seven minutes from time.

The Republic of Ireland keeper allowed substitute Glenn Whelan’s shot to squirm through his hands and over the line.

That secured Villa boss Dean Smith a fifth win in eight games since replacing Steve Bruce in October. And Villa are unbeaten in their last seven matches at this ground – winning six of them.

This was their sixth meeting in under 15 months and their first since Villa beat Boro in last season’s playoff semi-finals.