THAT Unai Emery felt the need to turn to his Aston Villa bench after 70 minutes at the Riverside and introduce Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby said everything about Middlesbrough’s efforts and how difficult they made life for their Premier League visitors.

Emery hoped his big guns could spark a big finish for the visitors in this FA Cup third round tie. They got it thanks to Matty Cash’s 88th minute winner but only thanks to a big deflection so desperately cruel on a Boro side that had defended superbly well.

Defeat for Boro but a million miles away from the Brighton humbling this time out last year. They came within two minutes of keeping a clean sheet against a side that have only been outscored by Manchester City in the Premier League.

OK, their star man Watkins started on the bench but don’t be fooled into thinking this was a weak Villa side. Emery only made four changes from their Premier League win over Burnley last week.

In truth, a replay at Villa Park and an extra game for a squad already stretched wouldn’t have been ideal, but it’s what Boro deserved for their efforts and such a spirited display against a side only three points off the top of the Premier League. Despite the defeat, Boro will take great confidence ahead of Tuesday’s visit of Chelsea in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

And they’ll be boosted by the return of some key men, particularly Hayden Hackney, who captained his hometown club for the first time for the first time and got an hour under his belt. Emmanuel Latte Lath and Matt Crooks returned to the bench.

The team news also brought some questions and defensive uncertainty with no natural right-back and two left-backs in the XI. Kick-off provided the answers: a back three of Rav van den Berg, Matt Clarke and Lukas Engel with Isaiah Jones and Alex Bangura playing as the wing-backs.

A busy night for the Boro backline seemed likely. Villa headed for the Riverside in the middle of their best season in recent memory and Unai Emery only made four changes, intent on bringing to an end his side’s rotten recent run in this competition.

Top scorer Watkins was rested but World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez started in goal and those in front of him included Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn. The visitors were first to threaten when Jhon Duran forced a good save from Tom Glover at his front post, but the game had moved beyond the half hour stage by the time the Premier League side next forced Glover into action. Boro’s keeper saved well from Ramsey and kept out a Kamara drive from distance at full stretch and in between Leander Dendoncker headed just over.

Other than that quick flurry of openings, Villa – despite dominating possession – struggled to break Boro down. Carrick’s side were organised and patiently waited for their openings on the counter. Hackney set Bangura away on the left for one and Rogers forced a good save out of Martinez from another.

Carrick stressed calm from the sidelines. When Glover captured the ball five minutes before the break, the head coach gestured to the keeper to settle and slow things down. Boro then impressively worked it from back to front and a smart move ended with Rogers shooting wide from the edge of the area.

When Villa did manage to find a way through Boro’s defence, they encountered another problem: how to beat Glover. Boro’s keeper made a brilliant left-handed save to tip a goal-bound McGinn effort over the bar just after the restart. Glover was beaten by Ezri Konsa five minutes later but the defender’s header from a corner bounced back off the far post, the closest the game had come to an opening goal.

Both teams had penalty shouts waved away by referee Robert Jones before Carrick turned to his bench just before the hour mark. Hackney was withdrawn with Chelsea no doubt in mind, Jonny Howson introduced. And Emmanuel Latte Lath offered fresh legs up front.

Boro looked increasingly like they sensed an opportunity. Jones broke away down the right but had his cross cut out before a similar break down the opposite flank.

That was the cue for Emery to call on his big guns. Zaniolo went close with a curling effort but Villa looked set to be frustrated until Cash’s late strike from distance took a cruel deflection off Latte Lath, who had been impressive from the bench, and squirmed into Glover’s near corner.