Rudi Gestede headed a first-half winner as Middlesbrough claimed their first three points of the season at the expense of newly-promoted Sheffield United at the Riverside.
Patrick Bamford’s delivery had provided the assist on twenty minutes, with the former Aston Villa marksman’s subsequent header looping high over one-time Boro loanee goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.
Gestede later sent another header against the outside of the post, while Bamford also curled an effort wide and Adam Forshaw was similarly off-target from the edge of the area.
Boro’s new keeper Darren Randolph reacted well to deny Paul Coutts after the break, while fellow summer recruit Cyrus Christie soon called Blackman into action at the opposite end.
The visitors then believed they had dramatically rescued a point in added time when Jack O’Connell headed in – but a raised assistant’s flag signalled only an offside decision.
Middlesbrough: Randolph, Christie, Fry, Gibson, Friend, Howson, Clayton, Forshaw (Leadbitter 84), Bamford, Assombalonga (Fletcher 79), Gestede (Baker 68)
subs (unused): Konstantopoulos, Fabio, Roberts, Traore
Goals: Gestede (20)
Sheffield United: Blackman, Basham, Stearman, O’Connell, Freeman (Brooks 79), Coutts, Carruthers (Duffy 57), Fleck, Stevens, Sharp (Evans 68), L. Clarke
subs (unused): Lundstram, Wright, Lafferty, Eastwood
Ref: P. Bankes
Att: 26,876
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