Becchio salvages point for Leeds

Luciano Becchio got Leeds out of jail when he earned his side a point deep into stoppage time.

Simon Grayson made two changes from the side that drew with Portsmouth on Tuesday. Andy Hughes replaced George McCartney at left back and Luciano Becchio came back in to replace Billy Paynter in attack.

Robert Snodgrass had the first real attempt of the afternoon when his left foot volley went just over the bar from the edge of the area.

Nicky Bailey had Boro`s first sight of goal on fifteen minutes but shot well wide from distance.

Boro took the lead on twenty minutes when David Wheater got his head to a Julio Arca corner.

Leeds looked like they were suffering from a New Years Eve hangover as they struggled to find any response.

Julio Arca had the next chance for Boro on 35 minutes when Schmeichel saved his low shot.

Arca tried his luck again soon afterwards when his free kick drifted just wide of the post.

Howson finally had an effort on target for Leeds but his long-range effort was easy for Steele in the Boro goal.

Leeds first half performance was summed up in the final minute of the half when Bradley Johnson shot well wide from a set piece.

The second half started pretty much the same as the first half had finished with Leeds unable to string two passes together.

The poor start forced Simon Grayson into a double substitution just short of the hour, Lloyd Sam and Neil Kilkenny replacing Andy Hughes and Max Gradel.

The substitutions seemed to spring Leeds into life, Ross McCormack had two chances in the space of a couple of minutes but both failed to trouble Steele.

Lloyd Sam then went closer when he cut in from the left but his effort was just wide of the target.

Collins then headed a Neil Kilkenny free kick over the bar as the game was becoming more open.

Joe Bennett had a rare second half effort for Boro when he went on a mazy run before shooting over the bar.

McCormack had another Leeds effort but again failed to trouble the Boro goal.

It just wasn`t happening for Leeds and Howson ballooned their next effort over the bar.

Grayson made his third and final substitution of the afternoon with just under fifteen minutes remaining when Sanchez Watt replaced Snodgrass.

Leeds were laying siege to the Boro goal late on as they searched for an equaliser but they were still not troubling the target.

McCormack was again the guilty man when he screwed wide from close range.

Watt had a good chance in the final minute of normal time when he finally tested Steele.

Boro missed a fantastic chance to clinch the game when Hoyte failed to make contact with Boro players queuing up to score.

It was to prove costly as Leeds broke; Steele just beat McCormack to a through ball and Becchio was on hand to lift the ball into an empty net.

McCormack then missed a guilt edged chance deep into stoppage time when he headed wide when unmarked five yards out in the centre of goal.

It was to prove the final chance of the afternoon and Leeds will probably have been grateful of a point overall after a lacklustre afternoon.

Teams

Leeds
Schmeichel, Connolly, O`Brien, Collins, Hughes (Sam 57), Howson, Johnson, Gradel (Kilkenny 57), Snodgrass (Watt 76), Becchio, McCormack

Subs not used
Higgs, Bruce, Paynter, Somma,

Middlesbrough
Steele, Hoyte, Bates, Wheater, Bennett, Thompson (Robson 25), Arca, Bailey, McDonald (McMahon 78), Lita (Boyd 71), Emnes

Subs not used
Coyne, Hines, Kink, Tavares,

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