Alex Mowatt goal gives Leeds United victory over Championship leaders Middlesbrough

Leeds United continued their climb up the Championship table this afternoon as a solitary goal from Alex Mowatt gave them a 1-0 away victory over league leaders Middlesbrough.

The visitors took the lead in the opening minutes of the game when Lewis Cook intercepted a ball out from the Middlesbrough keeper, before cutting it back to play in Mowatt for a low strike.

Aitor Karanka's side started to press, but Leeds stopper Marco Silvestri continued to frustrate the league leaders, tipping a Kike effort over while also pushing an Adam Clayton strike clear.

Leeds could have gone two ahead straight after half time, but Scott Wootton saw his headed effort crash back off the Middlesbrough crossbar following Luke Murphy's cross.

Kike soon returned for the home side and he tested Silvestri again, leaving the keeper to pull off a crucial stop down towards his bottom-right corner.

Middlesbrough sensed that an equaliser was on the cards and continued to press in an attempt to claim back a point, only for both George Friend and Kike to waste further efforts as Leeds clung on to three important points.