Leeds v Middlesbrough 13/8/11

Leeds 0 - 1 Middlesbrough
Emnes 67

Middlesbrough visited Elland Road on the back of a good victory in the Carling Cup and looked to further extend their unbeaten run in the Championship against a Leeds side who have struggled in the first two games of the new season.

Boro started the match looking for their third win in four visits to Elland Road, and set up with the same team that started against Portsmouth, albeit with Joe Bennett switching to left back.

Middlesbrough started slowly, succumbing to Leeds pressure with forced Carl Ikreme into making two great early saves. Leeds had Max Gradel was sent off on 27 minutes for two yellow cards. Immediately after the Leeds keeper Andy Longergan needed to make a good save from a Marvin Emnes effort - Boro's first real chance of the game.

A 50 yard effort from Adam Clayton forced Ikreme into another great save and helped the crowd become even more raucous. Minutes later Boro have another good effort, this time from Hoyte, saved.

Just before half time under pressure from the Leeds captain, Jonny Howson, the referee gave Tony McMahon a second yellow card for a soft shrug off highlighting what a poor game he has had up to this point. The challenge had nothing to do with Howson, and the referee was weak when he decided to even the game up, realising the mistake he made earlier sending off Gradel.

The assistant indicated 3 minutes of extra time to bring the first action packed half to an end, with the score remaining Leeds 0 - 0 Boro and the referee having to be escorted off the pitch by security.

Leeds started brightly again and within the first five minutes of the second half forced Ikreme into yet another outstanding save to keep Boro in the game.

Leeds swapped Brown for Nunez in an attacking substitution in the 57th minute closely followed by the Assistant Referee being substituted due to injury - unfortunately it was not the referee!

Howson pulled down Marvin Emnes on the halfway line, who would have been clean through on goal, and saw his second yellow card of the game. Justice as Howson in the first half berated the referee into sending off McMahon.

The sending off saw Boro press on and McDonald have a effort cleared off the line in the best chance of the game so far. Boro then substituted Justin Hoyte for Julio Arca and Mallaury Martin for Barry Robson as they pushed on for victory in the final 25 minutes.

On 67 minutes Marvin Emnes tears out the back of the Leeds Utd net with a spectacular goal finishing off a great passing move involving both Martin and Arca.

As the game progressed into the final ten minutes Boro took control of the game and the Leeds fans chanted for Ken Bates to leave their club. Boro piled on the pressure, with two corners in as many minutes, but despite the posession only resulted in a Bennett shot comfortably saved by Longergan. Boro did look for the second goal but despite having numerous chances could not extend their lead.

The assistant indicated 5 added minutes and saw Arca narrowly miss a chipped effort and Longergan going up for a Leeds corner. A needless free kick given away by Boro resulted in a Leeds free kick which again saw Longergan go up as a makeshift striker, but they could not profit. Seb Hines came on for Rhys Williams who was suffering from cramp.

The referee ended up playing 6 minutes of extra time but despite another close effort from Emnes the full time whistle went and Boro collected all three points.

Boro Man of the Match - Marvin Emnes

Attendance - 25,615 (2,337 Boro)
League Position - 6 (P 2, W 1, D 1, L 0, GD 1 Pts 4)

Game Highlight - Marvin Emnes scoring his 5th goal in 3 games, and a good performance from Carl Ikreme
Boro Team - Ikreme, Bennett, McManus, Bates(c), Hoyte, Williams, Bailey, Robson, McMahon, Emnes, McDonald (subs) Kink, Hines, Arca, Martin, Smallwood

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