Middlesbrough 1-2 Leicester - Foxes Pounce On Lacklustre Second Half Display From Boro
TONY Mowbray will be disappointed to see his side come out without any points after a dominant first half display. The Boro Boss kept with the same starting eleven that saw his side stroll to a 2-1 friendly win over French Cup winners Bordeaux. The game saw Middlesbrough's new acquisitions Dean Whitehead and Jozsef Varga make their full league debuts. The Teessiders started the brighter; Lukas Jutkiewicz latching onto a Grant Leadbitter flick on. But the former Everton trainee dragged his shot wide of Kasper Schmeichel's far post. The Boro continued to dominate, Leadbitter finding Jutkiewicz once again, lurking on the edge of the six yard box. However his shot was once again no trouble for the Leicester keeper. Jonathan Woodgate almost doubled his goal tally for Boro, his header from a Mustapha Carayol cross went agonisingly over the crossbar. Leicester boss Nigel Pearson started ushering his players forward, Wes Morgan missed a free header on the penalty spot before a long delay which Zak Whitbread taken off in a neck brace. Paul Konchesky then went close, forcing a good save from Jason Steele down to his right hand post. Referee Andrew Madley then handed out the first caution of the afternoon, Mustapha Carayol retaliating after Richie De Laet dispossessed the Boro winger. Boro's front two, Jutkiewicz and Emnes, continued to link up well together. A smart link up between Boro's nine and ten set Mustapha Carayol off down the left wing with former Boro player Sean St. Ledger poking home a header in the 35th minute. A very gifting St.Ledger presented Jutkiewicz with a difficult half-chance shortly before the interval, but the former Man City stopper Schmeichel was equal to it, with a smart save towards his near post. Teesside born keeper Jason Steele then almost gifted Leicester City a goal for themselves. A long, hopeful cross in the box from Konchesky wasn't dealt with by the Middlesbrough back four, with Steele in no mans land; luckily for Mowbray's men there wasn't a fox to pounce on the mistake. Marvin Emnes had the chance to put Boro two goals clear on the stroke of half time. A through ball from Jutkiewicz presented the former Dutch under-21 international in one-on-one with Schmeichel; but he failed to put the ball in the net, after taking several touches too many. Boro went into the break 1-0 against a Leicester team who have failed to test Steele in the Boro goal. Pearson will be glad for the break; Mowbray will wish they could stay out. Leicester came out in the second half and started well. Matty James' through ball almost found New Zealender Chris Wood; but a quick-to-pounce Jason Steele came hurtling off his line to deny the former West Brom man. Leicester's front two were finally edging their way into the game. They were starting to receive scraps from their midfield and long balls from the back four. It was a stark contrast from their Teesside counterparts Jutkiewicz and Emnes who were linking well together and bring the midfield further up the pitch. Leicester had a massive appeal for a penalty turned away. Boro skipper Rhys Williams hacked clear from the Boro six yard box, only to be met by a coming together of Whitehead on Drinkwater; Leicester adamant that Whitehead got nowhere near the ball, as he sent Drinkwater sprawling. The foxes were becoming ever-increasingly into the game, a sustained bit of pressure saw Drinkwater bend one past a sprawling Jason Steele after a smart bit of trickery by Chris Wood who was immediately replaced by one cap wonder David Nugent Jamie Vardy, who had been wreaking havoc in the space between the Boro centre halves, then broke through one on one and cooly slotted past Jason Steele once again. A well taken shot just inside the Boro box was nothing short of what Leicester deserved in this second half. Almost immediately Grant Leadbitter went close for the home side. His sharp shot, that was destined for the top corner of Leicester goal was beaten away sharply by Schmeichel. From the resulting corner, a routine straight from the training ground was belted over the bar by Dean Whitehead. A smart reverse ball from Boro skipper Rhys Williams played Jutkiewicz in, however with his back to goal and Wes Morgan touch tight, his shot tamely went wide of the mark. Jason Steele was to Boro's rescue, the Teessiders failing to deal with David Nugent's barrelling run into the area. The under-21 stopper saved well at his near post. Jamie Vardy nearly compiled the home side's misery, as Leicester's £1million acquisition from Fleetwood, broke free from the Boro back four and struck the post from six yards. Boro poured forward once the injury time had been announced. Faris Haroun curled in a great cross that was destined for the head of Jutkiewicz, however Leicester skipper Morgan did his best to put the centre forward off and he missed his header. Boro's final attack ended tamely, Grant Leadbitter failed to beat the first man at the corner. From that Leicester were able to run the clock down to ensure they took the three points back to the King Power. Middlesbrough are looking for only their second win in the SkyBet championship since March 1st, when they beat Cardiff. Leicester beat Middlesbrough for the second time at The Riverside in as many years. Both times running out 2-1 winners after earlier being behind. WhatCulture.com MOTM - Jamie Vardy Middlesbrough Line Up (4-3-3) Steele, Friend, R Williams (c), Leadbitter, Varga, Jutkiewicz, Emnes, Whitehead, Carayol (Haroun 60'), Parnaby (L.Williams 82'), Woodgate. Goals - St.Ledger (35' O.G) Unused subs: Leutwiler, Hoyte, Ledesma, Gibson, Smallwood Leicester City Line Up (4-4-2) Schmeichel, De Laet, Konchesky, Drinkwater, Morgan (c), Whitbread (Moore 18'), James, Vardy, King, St Ledger, Wood (Nugent 60'). Goals - Drinkwater (60'), Vardy (67') Unused subs: Logan, Marshall, Dyer, Waghorn, Schlupp Attendance - 17,223 (1,618 visitors)