Full-time: Leeds 0-0 Middlesbrough
90 min +5: And Konstantopolous picks it out from the sky. It ends scoreless; there were a couple of chances but it was never going to be a goalfest considering both sides’ lack of goals of late. Boro are now five without a win and remain second. Leeds are 16th. Thanks for reading and sorry there weren’t any goals. Until next time!
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90 min +4: Leeds have a corner …
90 min +2: Leeds keep pushing but cannot score – Taylor fires over with his left.
90 min +1: Doukara is denied by Konstantopoulous. Erwin holds the ball up well in the buildup. Bridcutt passes to Doukara, who gets the right side of Fry but cannot find the corner of the net.
90 min: Kalas, a centre-half, replaces Rhodes. There will be a minimum of four minutes added on.
Red card – Ben Gibson
88 min: The Boro defender is shown a second yellow for a late foul on Erwin. He left a lazy leg out for the Leeds sub to collide with. The free-kick does not trouble Middlesbrough, however. And they win a free out after an enthusiastic challenge from Bridcutt.
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87 min: Taylor swings a cross towards Doukara at the back-post but he is marked tightly and cannot direct his effort on target, the ball trickling wide for a goal-kick.
85 min: Gibson tries to shield the ball out for a goal-kick under pressure from Doukara. He is fouled and wins a free-kick instead.
84 min: Downing sends a soft mid-range effort into the welcoming hands of Silvestri.
82 min: A big chance for Rhodes. Adomah puts in a tasty cross from the right. Silvestri comes out to put the striker off. He achieves exactly that as Rhodes heads wide from eight yards. “What a waste of money,” sing the Leeds fans.
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79 min: Erwin is on for Antenucci, who looks shattered.
73 min: Mowatt attempts to jig goalwards after Bridcutt played him in but his shot is blocked for a corner. Taylor’s delivery is headed away by Adomah.
72 min: And from the corner Boro break … Rhodes gets a clear sight of goal but shoots straight at Silvestri.
72 min: What a save from Konstantopolous. Taylor’s free-kick meets the head of Doukara. It’s heading for the bottom right corner but Boro’s keeper gets down brilliantly to save.
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71 min: Gibson booked for a foul on Dallas, who then comes off and is replaced by Mowatt.
68 min: Cooper concedes a corner and Boro are beginning to pile on the pressure. Leadbitter sends it in but it’s cleared, ending up back with Leadbitter, who this time sends in a deep cross. Rhodes heads goalwards but it is bread and butter for Silvestri.
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67 min: A double change for the visitors. Stuani’s last act is that miss. He is replaced by Nugent and Boro are going two up top. Adomah is on for Ramírez too.
65 min: Another miss from Stuani – heading over Downing’s cross after Rhodes feeds him having run into a tight angle himself.
64 min: The best chance of the game. De Laet, advanced up from the left, sends a wonderful ball in. It’s just too high for Rhodes, but Stuani is on hand. His finish is awful, though, and heads over the bar.
62 min: Doukara charges forward and wins a corner for Leeds off Fry. Taylor takes it short and it comes to nothing.
61 min: In the absence of decent action … There are 20,424 inside Elland Road tonight, 2,782 from Middlesbrough, which is a fine away turnout for a Monday night.
59 min: Stuani hooks a cross in from the left but Bellusci is on hand to clear again.
57 min: Dallas crosses from the right, where Nsue is on hand to head clear.
53 min: Rhodes is on the ground before a cross from Downing comes in. The striker wants a penalty after coming together with Cooper, who is OK after that earlier knock, but it was never going to be entertained.
48 min: Cooper goes in hard on Stuani, winning the ball fairly, but then goes to ground after injuring himself while making the tackle. The Middlesbrough end rise to sing about the BBC Tees commentator Ali Brownlee, whose passing was announced earlier.
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Kick-off
46 min: We are underway again. No changes at the break.
Half-time
It has been competitive but a little short on quality.
45 min: Antenucci crosses but Taylor cannot connect and Boro clear. There will be at least one minute added on.
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42 min: Diagouraga is shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Stuani near halfway.
39 min: Leeds are putting some neat patterns of play together but Boro are defending so deeply the home team are struggling to break them down. We did warn you there might be a shortage of goals.
36 min: A lull in play, which gives Leeds fans the chance to, again, chant: “Massimo. Time to go”
32 min: Silvestri punts a long ball to Doukara. He holds it up well and turns Nsue before shooting narrowly over from about 25 yards. From the goal-kick Bellusci fouls Rhodes needlessly.
31 min: … and from Taylor’s corner De Laet almost puts the ball into his own net. Awkwardly flicking it on to the bar under pressure from Bellusci. It goes out for another corner and is cleared.
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30 min: Taylor’s delivery is headed out for a corner by Stuani.
28 min: Leeds enjoy a good period with the ball, but it ends with Ramírez intercepting a Doukara pass. Then Gibson blocks a Cook strike and Taylor is fouled by Stuani after collecting possession.
25 min: Clayton is booked for a late challenge on Cook, which is the Boro midfielder’s 10th yellow of the season. It means he will now have a two-match ban.
23 min: Fry takes the ball off Doukara and has a shot from range, but Silvestri holds it comfortably.
22 min: Leadbitter plays a hopeful crossfield pass towards Downing but it is cut out by Wootton, who judges the flight of the ball perfectly. A minute earlier Rhodes headed the ball into the net but the linesman’s flag was already up after judging the ball was out of play before being crossed towards the Scotland striker.
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18 min: Middlesbrough have settled now and are enjoying a decent spell of possession without threatening.
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16 min: Downing delivers a deep free-kick but it’s overhit and runs harmlessly out for a goal-kick.
13 min: Boro’s first chance. Ramírez puts a teasing cross-cum-shot in from the right. Stuani cannot connect but it bounces and heads for goal, where Silvestri gets behind it. Bellusci puts the ball out for a corner with Rhodes lurking ominously behind him. The corner is then cleared off the line by Bellusci after Silvestri comes off his line, attempting to punch clear.
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11 min: Doukara is penalised for dragging back De Laet, who attempted to break on the left.
8 min: The visitors do, however, look as resilient as ever at the back. It will take something special to break them down, even if Ayala is missing and his replacement, Fry, is a novice.
7 min: Another Taylor cross from the left is easy for Konstantopolous. Middlesbrough have not had a chance to string two passes together yet.
5 min: Leeds have started brilliantly here. Doukara pulls down a long ball from Bellusci and cuts the ball back to Antenucci. His shot is blocked. The ball is recycled back in, where Dallas heads goalwards but it’s turned over the bar for a corner that comes to nothing.
3 min: Leeds win a corner after good buildup featuring Bridcutt ends with Taylor winning a corner. Cook delivers but the linesman’s flag is up.
Kick-off
1 min: Middlesbrough get us going, playing from right to left as we watch. And from the start Nsue is dispossessed by Antenucci, allowing Dallas to shoot from range. It’s blocked, but that’s not the best of starts from Boro.
Here come the teams! Leeds are in white, Middlesbrough in red.
“What year did Leeds last win the FA Cup? And have Middlesbrough ever won it?” asks Brooklyn Bell.
Leeds only FA Cup win was in 1972. Middlesbrough were runners-up in 1997, but they have won the League Cup, in 2004.
A couple of your pre-match emails.
As a leeds fan,I have to say I’m intrigued by the fact that we sold Sam Byram to West Ham,and didn’t use the money,around 2.5 million,to buy any quality Premier League players, writes Ezra Finkelstein.
Hi Alan, Great touch on the Ali Brownlee tribute. The man is a Boro legend. Teesside is basically a big village and won’t be short of stories from people who knew him personally. Whilst I never had that pleasure, his love of Boro and his commentary are the soundtrack to some of my favourite memories as a fan. Even though I was at the crazy game against Steaua in that crazy UEFA cup run (when we won 4-2 - following the similar escape antics against Basel), it’s Ali’s commentary that brings those memories most vividly back to life. Fan first, excellent commentator second. Rest in peace. Cheers, Stu Howes
The teams
Leeds: Silvestri; Wootton, Bellusci, Cooper, Taylor; Cook, Bridcutt, Diagouraga, Dallas; Doukara, Antenucci. Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Bamba, Adeyemi, Murphy, Mowatt, Erwin.
Middlesbrough: Konstantopolous; Nsue, Fry, Gibson, De Laet; Leadbitter, Clayton; Stuani, Ramirez, Downing; Rhodes. Subs: Agazzi, Nugent, Adomah, Kalas, De Pena, De Sart, Forshaw.
More on the latest chapter of Leeds fans v Leeds owner …
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Some Leeds supporters have projected a selection of messages for Cellino on the side of the East Stand at Elland Road
More, it's cycling through a few different images. pic.twitter.com/eh5xMBM8EK
— You (@DuctileDoubloon) February 15, 2016
Hello. It’s unusual to see Championship action live on a Monday night (damn those pesky broadcasters changing kick-off times, eh Massimo?), but at the beginning of a week where Europe dominates it ain’t a bad apéritif. Not so long ago this pair were flying the flag across the continent but now languish in the second tier.
While Leeds’ league campaign is drifting and they might have one eye on Watford in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, Middlesbrough are among the favourites for promotion and, therefore, are desperate for a return to winning ways. They will overtake Hull at the summit with a win at Elland Road, but have only taken two points from their past four games.
Jordan Rhodes, signed to bolster their attack at the end of the transfer window, could make his first start for Aitor Karanka’s team but a word of warning: goals have been at a premium at this ground this season. Only three games from 17 have seen more than two goals scored (no wonder Cellino is miffed about them being on TV so much). Middlesbrough, meanwhile, have the stingiest defence in the country – conceding only 16 times.
Team news will be along shortly – along with an update on Leeds fans’ latest protests about their owner. Kick off is 7.45pm GMT.
While we wait, here is a tribute to BBC Tees commentator Ali Brownlee, who passed away earlier today.
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