Middlesbrough 8 Leeds5

BORO continued their good form with an 8-5 win over local rivals Leeds at Thornaby Pavilion on Sunday and kept up the pressure on the top two. Sheffield also won away at Liverpool, meaning they need to lose two of the final four matches for Boro to stand a chance of reaching the play-offs.

Middlesbrough, having lost 10-5 away to Leeds in November well and truly put that behind them and came out of the blocks fastest, almost scoring with their first attack. A set play from centre saw Mikey Roberts one on one with the goalkeeper but his shot was just over. The early pressure continued as Boro wanted to get a foothold in the game.

However, despite controlling the game, Leeds scored the opening goal, seconds after Kilbride was taken off for an ankle injury. De Souza was on the right and managed to get a shot away which beat Brown into the bottom corner.

Leeds had their lead for five minutes, when Posyer picked out Bulmer perfectly waiting on the far post who shot first time from a tight angle, levelling the scores. Boro couldn't hold on to their lead though when a long ball over the top fell to De Souza who took it down and finished under the advancing Brown.

Boro peppered the Leeds goal but the goalkeeper was having a great game and it took a mis-hit shot and an own goal to beat him with 30 seconds of the half remaining. Kilbride was clear and lined up a shot that he scuffed and was going wide before it inadvertently hit off the defender and trickled into the bottom corner to take Boro into half time on level terms.

Middlesbrough needed to start the second half strongly, unlike against Sheffield, where they fell apart and conceded three. Bettson, on the back of his England call up, scored a quick fire brace either side of a goal by Kilbride and Boro were 5-3 up, looking like extending their lead all the time.

Joshua Philips, then followed Bettson to score Boro's 5th and 6th goals of the game, tipping the match beyond Leeds who decided to use their flying goalkeeper to create chances and apply pressure to Eliot Brown's goal. Brown claimed the man of the match performance for some outstanding saves that kept Middlesbrough in the game.

Mikey Roberts scored Boro's 8th before De Souza scored his third and fourth of the match.

Leeds should have had a player sent off in the dying minutes when the flying goalkeeper prevented Boro bagging their ninth goal when he handled outside the area, but both referees remarkably failed to spot the clear handball in a game with many fouls going unpunished.

Middlesbrough dominated from the start to the finish and played arguably their best game of the season to make it three wins out of three. They still need other teams to drop points, but Boro's form is good and belief is creeping back into the squad.

The next league match is Liverpool away on 10th April, followed by two massive home games against Tranmere Victoria and Manchester.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com