Martin O'Neill taught rookie manager Gareth Southgate a harsh lesson as Aston Villa stormed back to clinch victory at Middlesbrough.

Trailing 1-0 after red-faced goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen had lost control of Fabio Rochemback's 13th-minute free-kick, Villa looked like crumbling.

But midfielder Craig Gardner's equaliser in first-half injury time gave them hope, and O'Neill did the rest at half-time to leave Boro still looking uncomfortably over their shoulder.

Substitute Luke Moore put the visitors ahead within four minutes of his arrival and Stiliyan Petrov made sure of the points 13 minutes from time.

For former Villa captain Southgate, it was a sobering experience as Villa, who won 4-0 at the Riverside Stadium last year to leave then manager Steve McClaren under pressure, continued their habit of prospering on Teesside.

Many among a crowd of 26,959 headed for the exits long before the final whistle with those who remained until the bitter end making their feelings known.

The absence of out-of-contract striker Mark Viduka with a stomach bug might have come as a blow to the home fans, but he was not the only one feeling queasy by half-time.

But for former Sunderland goalkeeper Sorensen, there was at least the consolation of knowing his return to the north-east would not prove catastrophe.

The Dane must have enjoyed the opening few minutes as the superb Gabriel Agbonlahor twice split the Boro defence to first shoot weakly at Mark Schwarzer and the feed Shaun Maloney, who scuffed his effort wide when he should have done better.

Maloney did force Schwarzer into a decent save with nine minutes gone, but his side fell behind four minutes later as Sorensen's afternoon took a turn for the worse.

Phil Bardsley's crude challenge on England winger Stewart Downing earned him a booking and the Teessiders a free-kick, which was thumped towards goal by Rochemback.

The Brazilian, who scored his first goal of the season against Watford last weekend, struck the ball with some force, but the Villa keeper looked to have it covered until it somehow squirmed from his grasp and ended up in the net.

Boro took charge. O'Neill's men struggled to string together two passes with the home side rarely in any trouble at the back, and the game could have been all over by the break.

Malcolm Christie, in for Viduka, chipped a deft shot just over the bar and Adam Johnson was inches away from making it 2-0 10 minutes before the break when he curled a left-foot shot narrowly past the post.

The 19-year-old passed up a second opportunity on the stroke of half-time when he turned up on the end of a move he had started deep inside his own half, only to shoot weakly at Sorensen from the edge of the box.

Villa made the most of their escape within seconds when Agbonlahor skipped past Andrew Taylor with ease to cross for Gardner, who was given time to stab the equaliser past the helpless Schwarzer.

Revived by their goal, Villa resumed in similar vein to the way they had started the game with Boro once again finding themselves under pressure, although with the fit-again Jonathan Woodgate once again in imperious form, there were few alarms.

Johnson fired in a wayward left-foot effort from distance on 51 minutes, and his afternoon, along with that of Huth, ended two minutes later when Southgate made his move.

Lee Cattermole took over on the right side of midfield with Chris Riggott replacing the German international at the back, although Woodgate had to come to his side's rescue on 58 minutes after Agbonlahor had got in behind right-back Abel Xavier.

The England international had to deal with the tricky youngster at close quarters himself as the game opened up.

O'Neill replaced Maloney with Moore on 66 minutes with the home supporters growing increasingly restless, and their mood worsened within four minutes as the newcomer made his mark.

Rochemback was penalised for a needless challenge on Young, who then curled in the resulting free-kick for defender Martin Laursen to head down with Moore dispatching the ball past Schwarzer.

There was worse to come for Southgate when Petrov accepted Gareth Barry's pass before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.

Teams

Middlesbrough Schwarzer, Xavier, Huth (Riggott 53), Woodgate,Taylor, Johnson (Cattermole 53), Boateng (Lee 76), Rochemback,Downing, Christie, Yakubu.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Parnaby.

Booked: Cattermole, Taylor.

Goals: Rochemback 13.

Aston Villa Sorensen, Bardsley, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma,Gardner (Hughes 85), Petrov, Barry, Young (Davis 81),Maloney (Moore 66), Agbonlahor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Cahill.

Booked: Bardsley.

Goals: Gardner 45, Moore 70, Petrov 77.

Att: 26,959

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).