Middlesbrough 3 Leeds 4: Summerville scores two in seven-goal thriller to end slump & boost Premier League promotion bid
CRYSENCIO SUMMERVILLE bagged a brace as Leeds roared back into the top two.
The Whites looked to be falling apart again after firing blanks in their last two, leaving fans fearing a late collapse.
But Daniel Farke’s boys came out firing at Middlesbrough to leapfrog Ipswich into second with Patrick Bamford and Wilfried Gnonto also on the scoresheet.
Leeds are now two points ahead of the Tractor Boys and have a golden chance to heap further on them at QPR on Friday before the Suffolk side play again.
A helter-skelter first half saw the visitors 3-2 up at the break before Summerville wrapped up the priceless points with a second-half beauty.
And there looks to be no stopping them when in this mood with Summerville, Gnonto and Georgiono Rutter causing Boro havoc on the break.
What a chance this was to poke a nose ahead of Ipswich and even make life nervy for leaders Leicester.
But rivals Boro were hardly going to roll out the red carpet, and disaster struck just seven minutes in.
Gnonto was the culprit as he gave the ball cheaply on halfway.
Put through on goal, Emmanuel Latte Lath collided with Leeds defender Ilia Gruev and keeper Illan Meslier.
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The ball broke loose, Junio Firpo dawdled, and Jones was on hand to roll into the empty net to stun the away fans.
But the Leeds end then erupted twice in four minutes as the west Yorkshiremen charged into the lead.
Anfernee Dijksteel hacked Georgino Rutter down for a stonewall penalty, with Bamford selflessly giving it to Summerville to bury.
Bamford’s chance came moments later, and the striker didn’t disappoint with a brilliantly improvised finish.
Junior Firpo’s teasing cross from the left caught Boro’s defence napping as the once-capped England striker sneaked into the six-yard box, and with indecisive keeper Seny Dieng unsure what to do, he opened his body up and bundled the bouncing ball in off his hip.
It was quickly turning into one of those madcap nights, and it was Boro’s turn next to strike back 30 minutes in.
Rutter gave it away cheaply and Finna Azaz worked it forward to Latte Lath, who feinted to shoot before rifling through Meslier’s weak hand from the top of the box.
Leeds were far from done though and they were 3-2 up eight minutes later with the goal of the night – even if it should have been flagged offside.
Classy teen Archie Gray won it in midfield and glided forward before finding Summerville, who fed Gnonto.
The Italian was clearly offside but Boro’s protests were waved away as ice-cool Gnonto stroked beyond Dieng.
Leeds were purring now, with Dieng denying Bamford a second immediately after.
The second half was never likely to match the bonkers first, and so it proved.
Boro were the ones pushing but Leeds’ defence, so doggy early on, held firm.
And their devastating counter struck again after 61 minutes to seal victory.
A beauty from Summerville, the Dutchman collected it after a neat build up on the left side of the box before skipping in beyond two challenges and bending his 19th of the campaign into the far corner.
Boro gave as good as they got but couldn’t handle Leeds’ electric front line all night.
Michael Carrick’s side had to win to stand any chance of gatecrashing the play-offs but, still nine points off sixth, their race is all but done.