By Middlesbrough FC

Super-sub Emmanuel Latte Lath settled a tight encounter with Sheffield United as Boro returned to winning ways at the Riverside.

Latte Lath headed home on 80 minutes as Michael Carrick’s side battled to a deserved three points.

55%

Possession

45%
18

Shots

8
6

Shots On Target

4
8

Corners

6
7

Fouls

3

0

0

Cards

1

0

There was little to separate the sides in the early stages, but the game burst into life when Callum O’Hare forced Seny Dieng into a low save.

Boro responded well and the lively Riley McGree had an effort deflected wide from the edge of the area.

It was the Blades who went closest to breaking the first half deadlock, with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s quick footwork earning himself some space before his strike was brilliantly cleared off the line by Luke Ayling.

We were on top for the remainder of the half and had a number of decent opportunities to take the lead.

Visiting goalkeeper Michael Cooper kept out a 20-yard shot from McGree before producing a fine double save from Ben Doak and Tommy Conway.

A vital interception by Sam McCallum also denied Doak a tap-in as the teams went in at the break level.

Middlesbrough: Dieng, Ayling, van den Berg, Edmundson, Neto Borges, Morris, Hackney, Doak, Azaz, McGree, Conway (Latte Lath 77')

Subs: Barlaser, Clarke, Latte Lath, Burgzorg, Jones, Dijksteel, Howson, Hamilton, Brynn

Sheffield Utd: Cooper, Gilchrist (Brooks 87'), Souttar, Ahmedhodzic, McCallum (Norrington-Davies 62'), Rak-Sakyi, Arblaster, Peck (Shackleton 62'), Brewster, O'Hare (Hamer 62'), Moore (Campbell 79')

Subs: Hamer, Burrows, Shackleton, Davies, Robinson, Campbell, Norrington-Davies, Brooks, Seriki

Doak began the second half in sparkling fashion. One of his bursts into the box saw him square for Conway, who was just unable to get enough clean contact on it.

Another promising Boro move saw Finn Azaz slide in McGree down the left before the Australian midfielder tested Cooper at his near post.

We went closer still as Azaz pulled a ball across the area to Conway and his goalbound effort was superbly blocked by Alfie Gilchrist.

Hackney was the next to have a sight of goal after being picked out by Ayling, but he was also denied by a block.

The tables were turned when George Edmundson bravely cleared a Rak-Sakyi strike with his head before Dieng beat a sweet long range hit by Gilchrist over the bar.

The breakthrough finally arrived with 10 minutes remaining as Latte Lath – soon after being introduced from the bench – buried a header past Cooper after an inch-perfect cross from Azaz.

Aidan Morris curled narrowly over as Boro looked to make the points safe, while Edmundson made a vital intervention on the line at the other end.