Middlesbrough hold a 2-0 half-time lead over Leeds United after a positive opening 45 minutes from the hosts.
David Nugent handed Boro a dream start when he capitalised on hesitancy in the Leeds area to poke home from close range just two minutes into the match.
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Sol Bamba almost diverted the ball beyond his own goalkeeper in the tenth minute, but his blushes were spared by Silvestri's reflex save.
However, Marco Silvestri was helpless to prevent Giuseppe Bellusci heading George Friend's cross into his own net to double Boro's advantage after 32 minutes.
Leeds had sent a number of tame shots towards goal in the first half, but it took until the 37th minute to really test Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, when Alex Mowatt's drive was pushed wide by the stretching Greek stopper.
Kristian Johnson
