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Aug 16, 2014 at 12.15pm UK
 
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Live Commentary: Leeds United 1-0 Middlesbrough - as it happened

Find out how Leeds United picked up their first win of the season by sneaking past Middlesbrough at Elland Road.
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Dave Hockaday took charge of his first home game in the league as Leeds United manager this afternoon as Middlesbrough visited Elland Road on the second weekend of the season.

The Whites earned their first points of the season thanks to a late winner by Billy Sharp - the first goal conceded by Boro this season.

Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.


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Morning all! The first game on the second weekend in the Football League is a Yorkshire derby as Middlesbrough travel to Leeds. There's plenty to get through before kickoff in 30 minutes, so let's get straight to the team news...

LEEDS XI: Silvestri; Byram, Pearce, Cooper, Warnock; Murphy, Bianchi, Austin; Ajose, Sharp, Doukara
Subs: S Taylor, C Taylor, Wootton, Tonge, Cook, Poleon, Smith

BORO XI: Mejias; Abella, Omeruo, Ayala, Friend; Reach, Leadbitter, Whitehead, Adomah; Tomlin, Kike
Subs: Konstantopoulos, Husband, Williams, Clayton, Nsue, Fewster, Woodgate

Dave Hockaday makes three changes to his Leeds lineup from last week's defeat at The Den. There are debuts for Liam Cooper and Billy Sharp, while Tommaso Bianchi makes his first appearance in the league for the Whites. Those to come out are Scott Wootton, Michael Tonge and Noel Hunt.

Aitor Karanka, meanwhile, makes two changes to the team that beat Brum a week ago. Kenneth Omeruo replaces the injured Ben Gibson, while Damia Abella goes straight into the side after only being confirmed as a signing this morning!

REFEREE WATCH: The man with the whistle today is Stuart Attwell.

Grant Hanley of Blackburn Rovers is sent off by referee Mr Stuart Attwell during the Sky Bet Championship game against Wigan on October 6, 2013© Getty Images

They might have had contrasting results last week, but both Leeds and Boro progressed in the first round of the Capital One Cup in midweek. Leeds beat Accrington Stanley 2-1 at home, while Boro won 3-0 on the road at Oldham. Karanka's side are yet to concede a goal this season.

There might be two debutants in the Leeds side, but Adam Clayton isn't making his full Boro bow after finally making the switch from Huddersfield. Hockaday might have included another debutant as well, but Giuseppe Belluschi failed to get international clearance in time.

PREDICTION TIME! Just 10 minutes until we begin at Elland Road. I think this will be a tight game and fancy it to finish as a 1-1 draw.

When these two sides last met in February at the Riverside, it ended as a goalless draw. The last match at Elland Road ended in a Leeds win, by two goals to one.

In fact, the last two games at Elland Road have finished as a 2-1 win for Leeds. Boro have won just one of the last five games between the two.



New Leeds boss Hockaday tells Sky Sports that his side needs to improve "everywhere" from last week's display at Millwall.

Just before kickoff, why not watch myself and Barney Corkhill discuss this game in a quick one-minute video?


KICKOFF! Slightly behind schedule, but we're now underway at Elland Road.

Early bite already as Pearce goes in heavily, but fairly on Tomlin. There's a little bit of afters, but referee Attwell is on the scene quickly to cool the situation.

OFF THE LINE! A bright start by Leeds, who have just had a great chance to take the lead. Ajose clipped the ball into the path of Sharp, who was beaten to the ball by Mejias but it then broke back to Ajose, whose low shot at goal was cleared off the line.

Boro's marquee signing of the summer, striker Kike, has just had his first shot of the day. He dragged it wide, but it doesn't matter anyway as he was stood in an offside position when he received the ball.

Boro work a training-ground routine free kick, but Tomlin's shot wouldn't have counted as Attwell had blown up for an infringement in the area.

Byram, for some reason, hacks the ball straight to Kike in the middle. The Spaniard is closed down quickly and plays it out to Adomah, who reverses the ball into Leadbitter. The midfielder feels that a snapshot is his best option, and although he hits it well, the ball whizzes wide.

After that early chance for Leeds, it's been predominantly Middlesbrough on the ball. The visitors have had 56% possession.

Leeds are really struggling to keep the ball at all. At the moment, you'd definitely fancy Boro to score the first goal. Kike does look lively, while Adomah is always a threat from the wing.

As I'm sure you know, today is the first day of the new Premier League season and I recommend that you open this link in a new tab to also follow our updates on Swansea City's visit to Manchester United. Can Louis van Gaal get off to a winning start?

An ironic cheer, probably the loudest of the game so far, is heard as Attwell points for a Leeds free kick after dismissing some other appeals.

Perhaps Leeds's best moment of the match since that early Ajose opening. Murphy nicks the ball off Whitehead to present Sharp with the chance to run at the defence. Ayala makes a good challenge and although Leeds have numbers forward, they can't create a real opening from the loose ball.

DISALLOWED! Adomah, who scored many a good goal last season, thinks that he's put Boro ahead but his overhead effort is disallowed because Attwell deems that his foot was high as Warnock tried to head clear. You can see why he ruled that way, but Boro's bench are livid.

Another chance for the visitors as Leadbitter's corner beats Warnock at the near post, but Ayala can only head well wide.

BOOKING! Attwell reaches into his pocket for the first time today to book Ayala, who went in wildly on Doukara.

SHOT! Of all the new arrivals at Elland Road this summer, Bianchi is one of the most exciting. He showed glimpses of his quality against Accrington in midweek and has just swiped a long-range volley at goal that was well held by Mejias.

After his breakout season in 2012-13, Sam Byram struggled to develop last season as injuries hampered his progress. He's in the starting lineup today and has just flashed a left-foot shot wide after it opened up for him on the edge of the box. Leeds having their best spell of the match.

Disappointing cross from Bianchi after some neat work down the left from Leeds, who really have come into the game in the last 10 minutes.

Here's Mr Hockaday giving directions from the touchline on his first home league game in charge of Leeds. He'll be much happier with what he's seen since that disallowed Boro goal.

Leeds boss David Hockaday gestures to players during their match with Middlesbrough on August 16, 2014© Getty Images

Good, bursting run forward from Whitehead, who is on the stretch as he crosses into the middle and can only direct it straight to Leeds keeper Silvestri.

A first opening of the game for Doukara, who scored both of Leeds's goals in midweek. A Boro toe gets to the ball just as he's about to shoot and the hosts have a corner. Murphy swings it over and although Bianchi wins the near-post header, he can't keep it down.

Friend can count himself a little lucky for not getting booked after a late, studs-up challenge on Doukara on the right wing.

BLOCK! Fantastic, last-ditch tackle by Warnock, who had allowed Adomah to run off him, but made amends to stop the Ghanaian's shot finding the bottom corner.

HALF-TIME: LEEDS 0-0 BORO

It's as you were at the break then. Boro were definitely the better side for the most part, but Leeds had their brief spells and also some chances.

There's no doubt about what the big talking point of the first half was, though. Should Adomah's acrobatic effort have counted? His foot was definitely high, but his action started before Warnock tried to head the ball. For me, it should have stood.

If you're only just joining us and want a quick recap on the first 45, our half-time report is just what you need.

UPDATE! We have our first goal of the Premier League season and it's for....SWANSEA! Ki Sung-Yueng strokes home to give the Swans a shock lead at Man Utd. Remember, you should have this commentary open in another tab as well. Good good.

Here come the two teams out of the tunnel. Neither Hockaday or Karanka has made a half-time change, but surely it won't be long before they do if it stays deadlocked.

KICKOFF! We're back underway at Elland Road. Who will be the first to strike, or will it be a second straight goalless draw between these two Yorkshire outfits.

Like the first half, Leeds are the team making the early running here. Omeruo has just sliced a clearance out for an unnecessary corner.

The set piece comes to nothing and Boro look to break down the left through Reach. He crosses to the back post, but there's no-one there and Silvestri can just see the ball out of play.

Austin has had a poor couple of minutes here, giving the ball away more than once and just then in his own area. Dodgy stuff from the Jamaican. Michael Tonge is warming up on the sidelines and could soon replace him.

LEEDS SUB: Indeed it is Tonge who is the first to come on, but it's not for Austin. Doukara makes way and he looks a little uneasy. Maybe just a slight niggle, but he's straight off down the tunnel. It looks like Ajose will now go and join Sharp further forward.

Here's a snap from earlier of Sharp and Ayala battling for possession:

Leeds's Billy Sharp and Middlesbrough's Daniel Ayala grapple for the ball on August 16, 2014© Getty Images

Reach looks like he might have picked out an unmarked Kike at the back post for a free header, but Silvestri's positioning is sound and he's able to clutch the ball to his chest easily.

Byram steals the ball on the right wing and slips in Sharp, who looks to find a teammate with a low cross but Ayala is well placed to hoof clear.

BORO SUB: Karanka makes his first change and it's a debut for Clayton, who replaces Whitehead in the centre of the park.

It hasn't been the best game to come and watch, but 24,484 is a decent turnout at Elland Road for the first home game of the season.

Just a quarter of the game left and it's ever so hard to say which of the two sides is more likely to steal a win.

CHANCE! First real sight of goal for Kike, who is slipped by Leadbitter but can't take a good enough first touch to get off a shot as Leeds get back to clear.

Karanka is readying another change and it'll be summer signing Emilio Nsue to come on.

SUBS: Reach makes way for Nsue, while for Leeds Ajose comes off to be replaced by Dom Poleon. Can either of the new faces make the impact required with around 15 minutes to go.

BOOKING! Nasty lunge on Bianchi from Leadbitter, who is shown a yellow card by Attwell.

BOOKING! Another yellow card for a Boro player as Friend is adjudged to have brought down Austin. The Boro left-back is fuming and he's got a right to as he did make contact with the ball.

MISS! Oh dear Billy Sharp! The striker is left all alone in the area and has a completely unguarded net to head at after Mejias missed his attempted punch, but can only nod wide. What a chance!

Sharp almost creates another chance for himself by closing down Mejias, who just beats him to the ball after a heavy touch.

UPDATE! A goal at Old Trafford and it's Wayne Rooney who levels for Man Utd with an acrobatic effort. Fantasy Football managers everywhere breathe a sigh of relief.

SUBS: Both managers make their final changes as Luke Williams replaces Tomlin for Boro and Lewis Cook comes on for Austin for Leeds.

GOAL! LEEDS 1-0 BORO (SHARP)

The deadlock is broken late, late on! Tonge's initial shot wasn't held by Mejias and there was Sharp to pounce and sweep home from a couple of yards.

The debutant took off his shirt to flex his muscles in celebration and that, of course, saw him earn a booking.

FIVE minutes of added time have been signalled by the fourth official. Nervy moments for the home fans.

Leadbitter lifts the ball brilliantly into the box, but centre-back Ayala is the man there and can't bring it down. Kike was close by and might have done better.



FULL-TIME: LEEDS 1-0 BORO

A first league win of the season for Leeds, who stole the points at Elland Road with a late goal from debutant Billy Sharp. Boro won't be happy, as they felt that they had a valid goal disallowed in the first half.

For Boro, that's their first defeat of the season and the first goal that they've conceded in 2014-15. They will feel that they should have at least got a point, but were punished in the dying moments. Mejias will feel the worst as he spilled it straight to the feet of Sharp.

Anyway, time for us to say goodbye. Make sure you stick around on SM throughout the afternoon for plenty more live football. It can all be found here.

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Forest Green manager David Hockaday looks on during the pre season friendly match between Forest Green and Swindon Town at the New Lawn stadium on July 12, 2013
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