Premiership: Leeds struggle at Riverside

Middlesbrough 2 Leeds 2

Dean Windass scored Middlesbrough's late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Leeds at the Riverside.

Leeds looked on course for their first victory since New Year's Day, only for substitute Windass to grab a point three minutes from time.

A confident Leeds of old would have wrapped up the points by half time, such was the shambolic nature of the Middlesbrough defence during the opening 45 minutes.

Leeds' half-time lead was sparked by Nigel Martyn's long goal-kick in the 19th minute which was initially controlled by Robbie Fowler who in turn found Mark Viduka.

Viduka delivered a back-heel into the path of Fowler who slid the ball home off Mark Crossley.

Fowler and Viduka then chanced their arm with superb curled 20-yard efforts before Benito Carbone should have marked his Boro debut with the equaliser.

However, his effort was well saved by Martyn.

Neale Barry issued just one yellow card to Leeds, that to Bakke, while Paul Ince was also booked and now serves a one-match ban for picking up five cautions for the season.

Ince equalised with a freak goal in the 51st minute. He fired in a speculative 20 yard shot and Martyn crouched in anticipation of comfortably collecting the ball, only for it to spin viciously on a divot beyond the helpless England international, who then lashed out at the offending piece of turf in disgust.

But within three minutes United had regained the lead, with an Ince foul on Olivier Dacourt leading to Ian Harte curling the ball goalwards from 22 yards.

Fowler brilliantly intervened, producing a deft backward flick just two yards out.

Leeds, though, are a team with inner demons these days and their woes continued, but only after Martyn had seemingly saved them with a point-blank save from Noel Whelan's volley.

But from the corner whipped in by Carbone, Windass rose unchallenged to head home.