Leeds undone by Windass

Carbone missed a glorious chance for Boro

Middlesbrough 2-2 Leeds United
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Dean Windass' late header salvaged a point for Middlesbrough against a Leeds side whose Premiership and Champions League hopes took another blow.

Substitute Windass struck in the 88th minute to cancel out Robbie Fowler's goal which had put Leeds 2-1 up after 54 minutes.

It was the second time Leeds surrendered the lead after Paul Ince's bizarre goal - which struck a divot on the way in - had cancelled out Eirik Bakke's opener.

  Key incidents

19 mins: Fowler squares for Bakke to score

29: Carbone misses a glorious chance to score for Boro

51: Ince equalises in comical fashion for Boro

54: Fowler restores Leeds' advantage

88: Windass pulls Boro level

Middlesbrough had gone behind after it looked like they had survived Leeds' initial pressure.

Fowler was sent through on the Boro goal following a neat back-heel by Mark Viduka and he unselfishly squared for Bakke to confidently score on his return after a six week lay-off.

"Talk about Jekyll and Hyde - we were very disappointing in the first half. We looked as though we were waiting to get beaten because we couldn't get anywhere near Leeds

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren

Leeds looked to consolidate their lead and Boro keeper Mark Crossley was forced to palm away a Fowler effort, before Viduka curled a shot from the edge of the area over the bar.

Boro debutant Benito Carbone started instead of fit-again Alen Boksic but missed and ideal opportunity to bring Boro level.

Carbone looked to have done the hard work by expertly bringing down a Gianluca Festa ball.

Dacourt and Quedrue battle for possession

But, with space and time, the Italian's shot drifted over the bar.

Boksic came on to partner Carbone after the interval and Noel Whelan, with four goals in his last five outings, moved to the left.

The switch looked to have paid dividends when Boro equalised, but no-one could have accounted for the freakish nature of the goal, as Ince's 20-yard shot went in off a divot past Martyn.

Ince then proved the culprit at the other end for Boro.

For the first 35 minutes we got about Middlesbrough and played well, but then we let them back into it in the closing 10 minutes of the first half and that gave them a lift

Leeds manager David O'Leary

His foul led to an Ian Harte free-kick which resulted in Fowler scoring his eighth goal for the club since his December move from Liverpool.

Whelan thought he had pulled Boro back against his former club only for Martyn to pull off a vital save from his far-post volley.

But the home side were soon level when Windass was given the space to head in a late goal from Carbone's corner.

It left Leeds still searching for a first win since New Year's Day.

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Middlesbrough: Crossley, Festa, Southgate, Ehiogu, Queudrue, Gavin (Mustoe 45), Ince, Greening (Windass 79), Stamp (Boksic 45), Whelan, Carbone.
Subs Not Used: Murphy, Jones.
Booked: Ince.

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Dacourt (Wilcox 86), Bakke, Batty, Kewell, Viduka, Fowler.
Subs Not Used: Keane, Robinson, McPhail, Duberry.
Booked: Bakke.

Att: 30,221

Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).