FABRIZIO Ravanelli rescued Middlesbrough's dream of escaping relegation with a dramatic injury-time penalty winner after Aston Villa had threatened to bring the curtain down on top-flight football at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough went ahead on 19 minutes when Ravanelli chased down Hignett's lofted pass and lobbed the ball home past a hapless Bosnich.

Another cardinal error, by the unsettled Bosnich saw them stretch their lead in the 33rd minute when Fleming clipped a long pass forward and Mikkel Beck timed his run to perfection beyond the visitors' square rearguard.

Villa took immediate control after the break and were back in the contest after 57 minutes when defender Ugo Ehiogu blasted home his fourth goal of the season from close range.

They equalised when Townsend released Savo Milosevic with a wonderful pass after robbing Stamp and the Serbian controlled with a nod of his head before galloping on and despatching a half-volley beyond Roberts.

But the game took its final, decisive twist when Little sent on Farrelly as an 85th minute substitute for Milosevic and his tug on Hignett gave Boro victory and left a luckless Villa hoping that their dream of a UEFA Cup berth is still alive.