Leeds United's Jason Pearce sees off 10-man Middlesbrough
Guardian 23/11/13James Savage
Aitor Karanka was pleased with the attitude shown by his new charges in a narrow defeat but admits it was mistakes which cost him a result in his first game as Middlesbrough manager.
The former Real Madrid assistant claimed a trip to Elland Road was the perfect way to start to his reign on Teesside but a goal from Ross McCormack followed by a red card for goalkeeper Jason Steele left him with a mountain to climb at half-time. Mustapha Carayol grabbed an equaliser early in the second half but the hosts hit back swiftly through defender Jason Pearce's header and closed the match out.
Despite the defeat Karanka was pleased with the effort and work-rate shown by his players, especially after going down to 10 men. "I am sad about the result but I am also happy because I have a team which has a good attitude," he said. "It is the same attitude which I have seen in the 10 days which I have been working with them.
"We were still in the game right up until the last minute with one less player. We played better with 10 players. We played a good second half but we need to keep working hard and improving. We made two mistakes with defending from a corner and the red card.
"We have only had 10 days together but the most important thing is the attitude. If your players don't have the right attitude it's very difficult to do anything."
McCormack "who scores when he wants" according to the Elland Road faithful was in the right place at the right time on 35 minutes to stoop and head home the opening goal after defender Tom Lees put the ball across the six-yard box following a corner.
Steele's rush of blood to the head came right on the stroke of half-time. Dexter Blackstock ran clear and got to the ball first but was taken out in clumsy fashion by the keeper. Referee Philip Gibbs showed no hesitation in reaching for the red card despite protests from the Boro players that there were men getting back behind the ball.
Karanka got the response of an early second-half equaliser as Albert Adomah raced down the right wing to cross for Carayol to volley home an expert finish.
But Leeds were kick-started back into life and a great deep cross from Austin was met with a powerful header by Pearce to restore the advantage on 57 minutes.
The result meant Boro slipped to 18th in the table but Brian McDermott's Leeds side are charging in the opposite direction – largely thanks to the form of McCormack. That's seven goals in three games for the Scotland international and 13 for the season.
McDermott was quick to heap praise on the front man, not just for his goals, but his all-round play. He said: "He's having a fantastic season. Every time he plays he looks like he's going to score a goal, or two, or three.
"At the end of the match he took the ball up the far end of the pitch and won a free-kick. That's the sort of thing that top, top players do. It's not just goals which he brings to this team."
McDermott was also pleased with the way his side saw the game out against 10 men to make it four wins out of five and climb into the play-off places. "It was really pleasing to get the result because we struggled against Bournemouth when they went down to 10 men earlier this season," the manager added.
"The first half we played some good stuff but the second half was tough. It's a great result. I'm pleased to be in the top-six but it would be better to be in the top one. I genuinely believe there is so much more [to come] from this group of players."
Earlier, spectators paid tribute to Gary Speed on the second anniversary of his death, as both sets of fans applauded.