Super-sub Latte Lath seals narrow Middlesbrough win against Sheff Utd

Emmanuel Latte Lath’s late header ensured Middlesbrough returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United in the Sky Bet Championship.

Captain Luke Ayling made a superb goal-line clearance from Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s shot in the first half to keep his side in the game and Boro quickly took charge with chances from Ben Doak and Riley McGree.

The hosts continued to dominate in the second half and eventually found the breakthrough in the 80th minute when Latte Lath headed into the bottom corner.

Boro are now only two points away from the play-off places, while a disappointing return to the Riverside for Chris Wilder sees his side slip into fifth.

Middlesbrough tested the Blades when George Edmundson had a half-volley deflected over the crossbar, but the first real chance of the game fell to the visitors 18 minutes in when Callum O’Hare had a curling effort pushed behind by Seny Dieng.

The visitors caused problems again in the 27th minute when a great move saw Rak-Sakyi’s low strike cleared off the line by Ayling and Boro instantly responded by charging up the pitch, where Doak had a shot blocked before McGree’s low effort was held by Michael Cooper.

Boro began to threaten with Doak at the forefront again. His shot was saved by Cooper and Tommy Conway was unable to tuck home the rebound.

They came close again when a move down the left flank saw McGree roll a menacing pass across the box, but the Blades cleared before Doak could reach it.

Boro started the second half well and Doak continued to influence the game, firing a cross into the box which flicked off Conway and the visitors pounced on the rebound to storm up the field, where Kieffer Moore’s shot was deflected behind.

Dieng made a solid save to hold Rak-Sakyi’s low effort, but Boro were soon on the attack again when Doak tapped the ball in to Finn Azaz, who managed to pass out wide to McGree and his strike was clawed away at the near post.

The hosts had another great chance for an opener moments later when Azaz played a tidy pass in to Conway, whose close-range effort was blocked and Hayden Hackney then had a tame shot cleared.

A quick break for the Blades saw Rak-Sakyi’s effort bounce off Edmundson before Alfie Gilchrist’s powerful strike from distance was tipped over by Dieng.

Boro found the breakthrough in the 80th minute when Azaz floated a cross in to Latte Lath and the substitute powered a header into the bottom-right corner just three minutes after being brought on.

The Blades nearly levelled minutes later when Rhian Brewster sent a dangerous cross into the box, but Edmundson made an important clearance to send the ball over the bar.

Aidan Morris came close to wrapping the game up when his effort sailed over before Cooper saved Doak’s strike from a tight angle.

The managers

Middlesbrough’s Michael Carrick:

“I thought they started well, caused us a few issues and a little bit in between.

“Didn’t quite hit that rhythm and bit of control we were looking for, we had to deal with a few little bits.

“If anything it’s a really good sign for me that we did have that, which in some way could have made it even more difficult, but we had that belief and confidence to carry on and get back to what we’re doing.

“I’m just really pleased for the boys that they got rewarded for such a good performance and the good football we’ve been playing with and without the ball, it was a good night for us.”

Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder:

“They just connected better in the final third than we did. They had chances, possibly more chances than we did, but it quite easily could’ve been a result for us.

“Two of the toughest places to get a result, back-to-back, we’ve not got what we would’ve liked to have out of the last two games.

“We keep working at it, they’re a really good side and we’ve lost, in my opinion, a pretty tight game.

“We’ve lost two games, maybe two tougher games than they’ve lost, and we have to go and get a result we want on Saturday against Stoke.”