Middlesbrough 0 West Ham 1: Marlon Harewood fired West Ham to victory over Middlesbrough at Villa Park and into an FA Cup final against Liverpool.

Harewood latched onto a header from Dean Ashton and held off the attentions of Gareth Southgate to rifle his shot past Boro's substitute keeper Bradley Jones.

It will be West Ham's first FA Cup appearance since 1980, when as a second division side under the late John Lyall, they beat Arsenal.

And it was a second semi-final disappointment in a week for Boro, who lost the first leg of the UEFA Cup semi to Steaua Bucharest on Thursday.

The Teessiders also lost Mark Schwarzer, who fractured his cheekbone in the first half.

The Hammers, in an all-white away strip, were using Ashton as a target man in the opening exchanges - but it was Boro, playing the better football, who started the strongest.

Midfielder Fabio Rochemback fired wide after Stewart Downing had picked out Stuart Parnaby with a superb crossfield ball.

Yakubu could not take advantage of a misjudgement from West Ham full-back Paul Konchesky and when Stewart Downing pulled over the cross James Collins was on hand to block Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's header.

Shaka Hislop, who was preferred in the West Ham goal to Jimmy Walker, stopped another effort from Rochemback after the Brazilian had been played in by Hasselbaink.

Harewood tried to turn and shoot but could not get any power in his effort and did not trouble Schwarzer in the Middlesbrough goal.

West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker was the first to be booked after fouling Downing on the edge of the Hammers box after 18 minutes.

Harewood outpaced Southgate to force the corner as West Ham broke away, but Boro scrambled the bouncing ball clear.

Then Reo-Coker picked out Benayoun with a neat through-ball and his cross was headed out for a corner with Ashton lurking at the back post.

The corner was swung in towards Hayden Mullins and the ball crashed against the bar - but referee Mike Riley had already blown his whistle for an infringement in the box.

Ashton laid the ball off to Matthew Etherington, who charged into the Middlesbrough box but things were just too tight for him to find Reo-Coker.

Southgate beat Collins to a header after Boro had forced a corner but only got a feather's touch to the ball at the near post and Ferdinand eventually cleared.

Boro remained on the attack and Franck Queudrue should have done better than head over after he had risen above the West Ham defence.

Boro then lost Schwarzer after he fell heavily under a challenge from Ashton and was replaced five minutes before the break by Jones.

West Ham attacked again but when Etherington's cross fell to Benayoun on the edge of the box the Israeli's shot whistled over the bar.

Rochemback was given too much space on the edge of West Ham's area and looked to curl his shot into Hislop's top-left corner and was only a foot off target.

Rochemback wasted a chance for Boro immediately from the restart - but it was West Ham who cranked up the pressure after the interval.

The Hammers were lifted as Reo-Coker won possession in midfield and Matthew Etherington surged down the left wing past George Boateng. Etherington's cross was blocked by Rochemback and then only half-cleared as West Ham kept the pressure on, with Benayoun and Harewood almost opening up the Boro defence.

West Ham forced another corner, Ashton pulled off at the far post and won the header which beat Jones but hit the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.

Amid all the West Ham pressure, Rochemback was booked for fending off Reo-Coker with a high arm.

But despite all their pressure, West Ham could not score and Boro worked their way back into the game. Collins was caught in possession, Mullins gifted the ball away and suddenly it was Middlesbrough on the front foot again.

Hasselbaink headed one chance wide and after Gabbidon had fouled the Dutchman on the edge of West Ham's box Downing curled the free-kick over.

West Ham looked to hit back and Etherington picked out Ashton in the box, who chested the ball down but too far ahead. Ashton was late and he stretched to get a shot in before Jones gathered the ball and booked by referee Riley.

But after 78 minutes, West Ham fashioned the breakthrough. Ashton flicked on a long ball from Ferdinand and Harewood held off Southgate to power his shot past Jones.

Pardew raced down the touchline to perform a jig in front of the Hammers fans and Harewood ripped off his shirt, which earned him a booking.

Massimo Maccarone was on and Boro captain Hasselbaink, looking to inspire an immediate response, surged forward and was brought down on the edge of the West Ham box by Collins. Quedrue curled the free-kick round the wall but Hislop punched it clear.

Boro threw everything forward and Riggott should have forced extra time when the ball fell to him unmarked 12 yards out - but the defender skewed his shot wide.

West Ham held on for five minutes of stoppage time to seal their first FA Cup final appearance in 26 years.