Leeds 0 Middlesbrough 3: Luke Ayling enjoys dream Elland Road return to stun old club in Carabao Cup
LUKE AYLING enjoyed a dream return to Elland Road despite fellow Middlesbrough right-back Anfernee Dijksteel threatening to steal the show.
Fan favourite Ayling’s eight years at Elland Road ended when he left on a free for Boro this summer.
RexAnfernee Dijksteel scored a wonder goal as Middlesbrough thumped Leeds[/caption]
PAMiddlesbrough’s Luke Ayling (left) enjoyed a dream first return to Elland Road[/caption]
He received a hero’s reception on his first comeback – and he left smiling as last season’s Carabao Cup semi-finalists dished out a second half drubbing.
Boro debutant goalie Sol Brynn, 23, made a bright start as he denied Junior Firpo before opposite number Karl Darlow stopped Delano Burgzorg.
But the fast-start came to a screeching halt and left the Leeds crowd subdued until Ayling got them going when coming for a warm-up on half hour.
That only stirred on the away side as Aidan Morris shot straight at Darlow, Josh Coburn turned and hit the side-netting and Alex Gilbert curled round the post before the break.
However, a moment of magic from Dijksteel silenced the home crowd and sent the 4,000-plus supporters wild in the away end five minutes after the restart.
The defender scored his first goal since April 2019 after collecting the ball out on the right, cutting inside and beating three defenders before firing past a fourth and Darlow left-footed from 18 yards.
Ayling was introduced to the action and within seconds the Boro celebrated a second as Coburn slipped in Burgzorg, and the Dutchman drove forward, turned inside Joe Rodon and slotted home.
Striker Coburn then got his name on the scoresheet as he reacted quickest to slot home after Isiah Jones’ shot was saved.
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