Boro started well and Julio Arca hit the post with a powerful 35-yard effort before Kris Boyd and Leroy Lita fired wide from long range.
But Vaughan broke the deadlock with a shot that hit a Boro player and looped over keeper Jason Steele.
And it took two fine saves from Steele to stop Jermaine Easter and Darren Ambrose from extending Palace's lead.
In the end, the Eagles held on comfortably to give Dougie Freedman his first win since being named Palace's permanent manager on 11 January.
Palace remain 21st in the table, but are now four points clear of the drop zone and within two of Boro, who saw their six-match unbeaten run ended.
It might have been a different story had Arca's fierce drive flown in instead of rattling the post just as Boro began to take charge.
Vaughan punished them ruthlessly, beating two men before unleashing a shot that left Steele helpless.
Steele kept his side in the game after the break, denying Easter and Ambrose, with the latter save particularly impressive as he got down low to palm away a fierce shot from the edge of the area.
Boro had no joy as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser and were almost caught out on the counter-attack when Wilfried Zaha fired wide from 12 yards.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Crystal Palace
1-0
Middlesbrough
FT
(HT 1-0)
Vaughan 36
Crystal Palace
01 Speroni
02 Clyne
05 McCarthy
29 Moxey
31 Gardner
03 Wright
07 Ambrose (Scannell 62)
16 Zaha yellow card
30 Marrow
19 Easter yellow card (Counago 71)
20 Vaughan (Iversen 79)
Substitutes
13 Price,
04 Davis,
06 Barrett,
10 Garvan,
09 Iversen,
14 Scannell,
32 Counago
Middlesbrough
30 Steele
04 Bates (Grounds 22)
24 Hines
27 Bennett
29 McMahon
10 Bailey
20 Arca
26 A Taylor
28 Franks (Park 46)
09 Boyd (McDonald 59)
15 Lita
Substitutes
39 Ripley,
03 Haas,
23 Grounds,
19 Halliday,
33 Smallwood,
38 Park,
07 McDonald
Ref: EastAtt: 14,060
CRYSTAL PALACE
MIDDLESBROUGH
Possession
Crystal Palace43%
Middlesbrough57%
Attempts on target
Crystal Palace4
Middlesbrough3
Attempts off target
Crystal Palace2
Middlesbrough3
Corners
Crystal Palace5
Middlesbrough8
Fouls
Crystal Palace13
Middlesbrough4
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:23 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
90:00+3:34 A cross is delivered by Joe Bennett, clearance made by Patrick McCarthy.
90:00+2:38 Wilfried Zaha delivers the ball.
90:00+1:38 Booking Booking for Wilfried Zaha for unsporting behaviour.
87:04 Corner taken left-footed by Cameron Park from the right by-line to the near post, free kick awarded for a foul by Julio Arca on Dean Moxey. Julian Speroni takes the free kick.
86:36 Nicky Bailey fouled by Wilfried Zaha, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Nicky Bailey.
85:33 Foul by Sean Scannell on Tony McMahon, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Julio Arca.
84:18 Nicky Bailey produces a cross, free kick awarded for a foul by Leroy Lita on Dean Moxey. Free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
83:38 Tony McMahon fouled by Wilfried Zaha, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Tony McMahon.
82:55 The official flags Steffen Iversen offside. Nicky Bailey takes the indirect free kick.
78:25 The referee gives a free kick against Sean Scannell for handball. Tony McMahon takes the direct free kick.
78:25 Substitution Steffen Iversen on for James Vaughan.
77:30 Shot by Wilfried Zaha from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
73:35 Pablo Counago takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, Tony McMahon manages to make a clearance.
72:55 Free kick awarded for a foul by Joe Bennett on James Vaughan. Pablo Counago takes the free kick.
72:30 Nicky Bailey takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
70:25 Substitution Pablo Counago is brought on as a substitute for Jermaine Easter.
69:52 The ball is crossed by Tony McMahon, save by Julian Speroni.
68:27 Jermaine Easter sends in a cross.
67:09 Jermaine Easter gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jason Steele. Jason Steele restarts play with the free kick.
67:09 Booking The referee books Jermaine Easter for unsporting behaviour.
66:16 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Sean Scannell played to the near post, clearance by Nicky Bailey.
66:03 Centre by Dean Moxey, Jonathan Grounds makes a clearance.
62:50 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Tony McMahon, save by Julian Speroni.
62:37 Scott McDonald crosses the ball, Julian Speroni makes a save.
61:20 Substitution Sean Scannell replaces Darren Ambrose.
60:15 The referee blows for offside against Jermaine Easter. Free kick taken by Jason Steele.
59:55 The ball is sent over by Scott McDonald, save made by Julian Speroni.
58:25 Substitution Scott McDonald joins the action as a substitute, replacing Kris Boyd.
57:00 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Tony McMahon from the right by-line to the near post, Darren Ambrose manages to make a clearance. Tony McMahon takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, clearance made by Patrick McCarthy.
56:11 Unfair challenge on Jonathan Grounds by Jermaine Easter results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jason Steele.
55:44 Darren Ambrose takes a shot. Save by Jason Steele.
54:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jermaine Easter on Nicky Bailey. Direct free kick taken by Julio Arca.
52:46 Jermaine Easter is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Jason Steele.
52:15 The ball is crossed by Tony McMahon, Nathaniel Clyne makes a clearance.
50:49 Leroy Lita takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
48:06 Jermaine Easter takes a shot. Jason Steele makes a save. Darren Ambrose takes the inswinging corner, clearance made by Jonathan Grounds.
46:43 Corner taken by Tony McMahon from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Anthony Gardner.
46:25 A cross is delivered by Tony McMahon, Anthony Gardner makes a clearance.
45:14 Tony McMahon fouled by James Vaughan, the ref awards a free kick. Jason Steele takes the free kick.
45:01 The second half begins.
45:01 Substitution Cameron Park replaces Jonathan Franks.
Half Time
45:00+2:06 The ref blows to signal half-time.
41:17 Centre by Joe Bennett, save by Julian Speroni.
37:50 Jermaine Easter challenges Julio Arca unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jonathan Grounds.
36:51 The assistant referee flags for offside against Wilfried Zaha. Julio Arca takes the direct free kick.
35:11 GOAL - James Vaughan:Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Middlesbrough James Vaughan gets on the score sheet with a goal from the edge of the penalty area high into the middle of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-0 Middlesbrough.
31:31 Short corner taken by Darren Ambrose from the left by-line.
31:07 Darren Ambrose takes a shot. Seb Hines gets a block in.
30:35 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Darren Ambrose played to the near post, Tony McMahon makes a clearance.
30:22 David Wright delivers the ball, Jonathan Grounds gets a block in.
27:32 Shot from just outside the penalty box by Leroy Lita misses to the left of the target.
26:41 Kris Boyd takes a shot.
25:49 Alex Marrow concedes a free kick for a foul on Leroy Lita. Julio Arca takes the direct free kick.
24:06 Jonathan Grounds is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Julian Speroni takes the free kick.
23:28 Outswinging corner taken by Tony McMahon.
21:33 Substitution Jonathan Grounds replaces Matthew Bates.
19:48 Centre by Jonathan Franks, Patrick McCarthy manages to make a clearance.
17:07 Julio Arca takes a shot.
16:44 Patrick McCarthy concedes a free kick for a foul on Kris Boyd. Nicky Bailey restarts play with the free kick.
15:54 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Tony McMahon by James Vaughan. Jason Steele takes the free kick.
14:32 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Anthony Gardner by Leroy Lita. Julian Speroni takes the free kick.
12:29 Julio Arca takes a shot. David Wright gets a block in.
11:06 Tony McMahon takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post. Corner taken by Tony McMahon from the left by-line to the near post, clearance made by James Vaughan.
10:44 Andrew Taylor delivers the ball, Anthony Gardner makes a clearance.
5:40 James Vaughan produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
4:11 Foul by Jermaine Easter on Nicky Bailey, free kick awarded. Jason Steele restarts play with the free kick.
2:15 Anthony Gardner concedes a free kick for a foul on Leroy Lita. Tony McMahon takes the free kick.
0:14 The assistant referee signals for offside against Kris Boyd. Free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
0:00 The match has kicked off.
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