Championship wrap: Middlesbrough edge Leeds, Hull leave it late

Middlesbrough have moved four points clear in the Championship playoff zone after a 1-0 home win against Leeds United.

Middlesbrough have moved four points clear in the Championship playoff zone after a 1-0 home win against Leeds United.

The victory was Boro’s first in the league this year and snapped a run of five consecutive losses that had threatened to derail Tony Mowbray’s promotion campaign.

In an action-packed six minutes for Middlesbrough, striker Curtis Main scored the winner with his head in the 81st minute before picking up two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent and was sent from the field on 87 minutes.

Leeds remain in 11th position after the defeat – eight points behind Boro – while Mowbray’s side profited from Brighton and Blackburn’s 1-1 draw to extend the gap over the seventh and eighth sides.

In that clash, Blackburn went ahead after 24 minutes through Scott Dann before former Valencia winger Vicente converted a spot-kick in the 57th minute to seal a share of the points.

In other Championship action, Hull City overcame Derby 2-1 with a late winner three minutes from time.

Substitute Gedo put Hull ahead just after half-time before Derby thought they had secured a point when Jamie Ward equalised in the 84th minute.

But Ahmed El Mohamady scored the winner on 87 minutes and matters were compounded just before full-time as Gareth Roberts was given his marching orders for a poor fool on Nick Proschwitz.