Source: Northern_Echo
Middlesbrough 0 Leicester City 1
The Middlesbrough record books were rewritten for all the wrong reasons at the Riverside as Boro fans turned on manager Gareth Southgate following Lloyd Dyer’s late winner on Tuesday night.
The lowest league crowd since the Riverside opened 14 years ago witnessed a contest that only spluttered into life late on as more and more Teessiders turn their back on their team and turn against Southgate for the first time since he took the helm three years ago.
Just 18,577 fans turned out to see Southgate’s team, who produced a performance that vindicated the decision of those who stayed away as Boro’s promotion campaign faltered.They failed to respond to chairman Steve Gibson’s public appeals for support.
Southgate said: "The irony is that we're still only three points off second place. You don't expect to have a sequence of events and not get such a reaction.
"This is the nature of modern football. I have to big enough to handle and I respect it.
"We have to be extremely tough mentally if the fans want to give me stick but the most important thing is that they back the team like they did here.
"All I can do is stick with the players that I believe have given my everything, there should be no question about commitment but we need a group of lads who need developing. They will get us results.
"We didn' t get what we deserved. Sometimes it feels as though the world is against you.
Boro’s defence collapsed when finally Leicester raised their game. Firstly, Brad Jones failed to hold Matt Oakley’s shot and Jack Hobbs headed against the post.
Then the Boro back four disintegrated, allowing Oakley to pick out the unmarked Dyer, who thumped the ball past Jones from 12 yards out in the 83rd minute.
Match details
Middlesbrough (4-4-2): Jones; McMahon, Wheater, St Ledger, Bennett; O’Neil, Williams, Arca (Yeates 62), Johnson; Emnes (Lita 62), Aliadiere.
Subs: Coyne (g), Digard, Grounds, Hines, Franks.
Leicester (4-4-2): Weale; Morrison, Brown, Hobbs, Brown, Berner; Gallagher (Adams 71), King, Oakley, Dyer; Fryatt (Waghorn 62), Kermorgrant (Howard 62).
Subs: Logan (g), Neilson, McGivern, N’Guessan.
Booked: Oakley.
Referee: M Haywood (West Yorkshire).
