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Blunt Boro missed a golden opportunity to open a four point gap at the top as they looked toothless in a televised tussle with Leeds.
Aitor Karanka's side lost 1-0 in their first home defeat since August and surrendered a nine game unbeaten run.
And it left them deeply frustrated after taking just one point from two promising games after nudging level at the top.
Boro were behind after three minutes as Alex Mowatt's deflected shot squirted in. After that Boro bossed the game for long spells and carved out chances into the double figures without scoring.
Leeds keeper Silvestri made a stringof good saves and another effort was cleared off the line but that will be no consolation to Boro who ended up empty-handed.
Boro made six changes from the side that battled back to draw 1-1 at Birmingham and claim top spot.
Tomas Mejias came in for Dimi Konstantopoulos, banned after picking up a red card at St Andrews, while Tomas Kalas, Adam Clayton, Albert Adomah, Adam Reach and Kike all returned to the starting line up.
Midweek goal-getter Patrick Bamford was on the bench along with Lee Tomlin, Kenneth Omeruo and Adam Forshaw from the midweek team.
There was a fantastic pre-match build-up and the Red Faction unveiled a new Steve Gibson 'Fit and Proper' banner
Boro suffered an early set-back as Leeds plundered an opener.
A poor throw out by Mejias was cut out by Cook who skipped past Leadbitter and darted to the edge of the box and squared for ALEX MOWATT who fired in a low shot that deflected off a sliding tackle by Ben Gibson and squirted into the far bottom corner.
Boro were quickly back on the attack and soon had Leeds pinned in their own box.
They had a golden chance on five minutes as Albert Adomah won a free-kick on the right and Grant Leadbitter cut it to the edge of the box where unmarked Jelle Vossen took a swing but missed completely and then the loose ball was scrambled away.
Then on 10 minutes there was moment of excitement as Kike wriggled past his man to get into the box but his angled 12 yard drive was palmed away then when he got to the rebound his chip was headed away.
Boro were pressing forward urgently and in numbers but that left space at the back and twice Leeds threatened on the break befor first Gibson then Kalas tidied up.
After a lull in the action Boro went close as a corner was cut back to the edge of the box and Reach fired over.
Then Boro went close on 19 minutes as Nsue took a quick throw and exchanged passes with Adomah then played a dipping cross into the box for Vossen to fire in a shot on the turn that brought a good save from the keeper.
And a minute later they almost scored as Reach surged into the box from the left and squared at a tight angle under pressure and Vossen did well to poke a shot goalwards that the keeper got a touch to before it was cleared off the line by Bellusci.
On 24 minutes Bellusci was booked for a foul on Vossen.
From the free-kick Leadbitter's poor free-kick looped up off the wall and Vossen got in a hopeful backwards header that looped straight into the keeper's arms.
Boro were back on the attack on 28 minutes as a Vossen ball sent Kike into the box and when his snapshot came back of Bellusci it fell to the Belgian who failed to connect properly with his shot.
Then on the half-hour Boro attacked again as Clayton sent George Friend surging down the left to collect and square back to the midfielder who sent to the right for Adomah to cross in but then Vossen's shot was charged down.
Soon after Leadbitter carried forward then fired a weak low 25 yard shot that skidded wide.
And Boro went close again on 32 minutes as Kike rifled in a powerful shot that took a deflection off Wootten but alert keeper Silverstri made a superb one handed reaction save to push it wide.
Then as the frantic action continued a ball bounced awkwardly to Adomah in a scramble and he couldn't get a good contact and his shot was charged down.
Then soon after Leadbitter curled a free-kick to the far post but although Friend peeled away free he couldn't make contact.
Then when a Reach cross was nodded away it fell to Clayton just outside the box and his first time low effort sent Silvestri full-length to save.
Boro almost snatched a freak goal on 43 minutes as Vossen played a ball into Kike's path as he burst into the box and it clipped his shin and squirted just wide.
And on the stroke of half-time Kike wriggled into the box and fired under the keeper and against the post but the flag was already up.
In stoppage time Leeds won a corner and Bamba burst through the crowd to send a glancing corner well wide.
HALF-TIME: BORO 0 LEEDS 1
Boro were quickly on the offensive after the break as a neat Reach flick sent Adomah down the right to cross in and when Friend laid the ball back Kike fired a 12 yard angled shot on the turn that sent the keeper full-length to push beyond the far post.
But Leeds almost grabbed a second on 48 minutes as Friend conceded a free-kick wide on the right for a foul on Austin and when Murphy curled it in Wootten headed against the bar.
Straight up the other end Kike skipped into the box but his shot was saved and then after a furious scramble a Leadbitter piledriver was charged down on the edge of the box.
Then on 52 minutes Adomah drilled in a shot from a tight angle on the right that keeper Silvestri palmed high into the air and when it dropped at the far post Reach stretched to put in alooping header that landed on the roof of the net.
Leeds caused a scare on 55 minutes as high-ball into the box was nodded down by Morison and as the Boro backs failed to react Mowatt nipped in but could only scoop it over.
On 57 minutes Bamba was booked for pulling back Kike while Boro also put on Lee Tomlin for Reach.
Boro kept on picking their way to the edge of the box then losing possession in a scramble in crowded final third.
Leeds broke out on 61 minutes as Morison chased a long ball forward but as Kalas caught him on the edge of the box the Leeds striker barged him over and the whistle went.
On 66 minutes Boro put Patrick Bamford for Nsue.
The striker was quickly in action, laying back an Adomah cross for Vossen to fire in a low shot that brought a diving save from Silvestri then from the corner Friend sliced wide.
Boro carved out a golden chance on 68 minutes as Bamford back-heeled an Adomah ball and Vossen pushed it on into the box and Kike skipped through to stab in a shot that was blocked by Bamba.
The pressure continued on a shaky looking Leeds defence as Boro won a series of corners that were scrambled away nervously.
A deep cross from Adomah on 72 minutes sailed over the defence towards unmarked Vossen at the far post but Morison popped up to get a glancing header and divert the danger away.
Adomah fired in low ball to the near post on 75 minutes but the keeper dived in to smother before Bamford could pounce.
Boro almost broke through as a ball forward deflected off a Leeds man and Bamford flicked the rebound forward for Kike to chase and cut past Bamba but although the defender stumbled he somehow away with the ball leaving home fans screaming for a handball.
Then a string of shots were blocked in a crowded box then Gibson headed over from a Leadbitter corner.
On 78 minutes Boro put on Adam Forshaw for Leadbitter with the new boy booked within a minute for a foul on Murphy.
Leeds almost broke through from the quickly taken free-kick as Byram got to the byline on the left and drilled across the face of goal but unmarked Wootten screwed well wide at the far post.
Then on 82 minutes a flick on found Austin but his shot was well held by Mejias.
There was a long hold up after Vossen went down after a clash of heads and after lengthy treatment he was stretchered off and Boro, having used all their subs, were down to 10 men for the finale.
In the final minute Leeds put on Cooper for Bellusci as the fourth official indicated NINE minutes added time.
On 94 minutes Cook was booked for a foul on Bamford.
Boro almost broke through on 95 minutes as Bamford back-heeled into the box towards unmarked Kike but he ball bounced off his shins and was scrambled away.
Then Kike sent Adomah down the right to cross in and Friend's header was deflected over for a corner and neat work by Bamford after a scramble won another flag-kick and even Mejias came up and almost got a touch to it.
Then deep in stoppage time – the 100 minute - Kalas pumped a long ball forward and Friend pushed it wide for Adomah who had drifted offside.
BORO: Mejias, Nsue (Bamford 66), Kalas, Gibson, Gorgeous; Leadbitter (Forshaw 78), Clayton, Adomah, Reach (Tomlin 57); Vossen, Kike Subs: Ripley, Whitehead,Omeruo, Husband.
LEEDS: Silvestri, Wootton, Bamba, Bellusci (Cooper, 90), C Taylor, Byram, Austin, Murphy, Cook, Mowatt, Morison. Subs: S Taylor, Berardi, Sloth, Sharp, Cani, Antenucci
Ref: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Att: 25,531 (2,960)
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