Leeds United won for the first time at Elland Road since September as they beat Middlesbrough 2-1.
Goals from Pablo Hernandez and Ezgjan Alioski ensured former Leeds boss Garry Monk made a disappointing return to Elland Road.
Hernandez put Leeds ahead on 24 minutes when the Spaniard directed the ball home after he had found space at the back post.
The little Spaniard then turned provider as Alioski turned his inch perfect cross home from close range.
Leeds had chances to make the game safe with Samu Saiz hitting the inside of the post and then Liam Cooper directed a header wide of the post after he had found space in the area.
Middlesbrough were thrown a lifeline in controversial circumstances with 13 minutes remaining. Luke Ayling grabbed the leg of Daniel Ayala after the Middlesbrough defender had thrown Ayling to the ground but the assistant referee only saw Ayling`s part in the altercation and a penalty was awarded.
Britt Assombalonga stepped up to fire Middlesbrough back into the game.
Despite 7 minutes of injury time and plenty of pressure from Middlesbrough, they couldn`t find a way through the Leeds defence, who had defended heroically throughout the game.
The win for Leeds lifts them back up to seventh in the table and they now go to table toppers Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek buoyed by this win.
Teams
Leeds United
Lonergan, Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Berardi, Vieira, Phillips, Saiz (O`Kane 88), Hernandez, Roofe (Ekuban 79), Alioski (Pennington 90)
Subs not used
Wiedwald, Anita, Sacko, Grot
Middlesbrough
Randolph, Roberts, Ayala, Gibson, Friend (Traore 65), Leadbitter (Fletcher 71), Howson, Braithwaite, Tavernier (Johnson 56), Assombalonga, Downing
Subs not used
Konstantopoulos, Fabio, Fry, Forshaw
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