Middlesbrough 3 Leeds United 0: Heckingbottom admits Whites 'got what they deserved'

Paul Heckingbottom wasn't impressed by his sides performance on Friday.

A hat-trick from Patrick Bamford gave Boro an easy win at The Riverside, pushing Tony Pulis’ side into the Championship’s play-off positions and leaving United’s to contemplate the probability of a mid-table finish.

The fixture on Teesside had been a prime opportunity for Leeds to cut the gap to sixth place but two strikes from Bamford in the first half and another finish on 68 minutes drained the optimism taken by United from a 1-0 victory over Brentford last weekend.

That result at Elland Road was United’s first win since Boxing Day and Heckingbottom’s first as head coach but he offered no excuses after his side succumbed to the finishing of Bamford and the pace of Boro winger Adama Traore.

Paul Heckingbottom on the touchline at the Riverside.

Leeds failed to force a save from Boro goalkeeper Darren Randolph and their own keeper, Felix Wiedwald, endured another questionable night as an error allowed Bamford to claim his second goal.

“I thought we were second best,” Heckingbottom said. “Disappointed is the perfect word for me. We won’t get where we want to be with that type of performance.

“The way Boro played upset us and we didn’t compete well enough. We weren’t aggressive enough. We just didn’t cope with it.

“This league is unique in that there are so many different styles in it and we didn’t acquit ourselves well enough. Before the goal they were getting momentum, winning second balls and gaining territory. We didn’t stand up.”

Asked if he had been critical of his players in the dressing room, Heckingbottom said: “Just honest with them, really honest with them.

“You have to learn from it. You can’t brush things under the carpet. I’ll give them the praise when they’re good but on the flip side they have to understand exactly what they’ve done wrong when we don’t perform.

“Sometimes performances don’t guarantee results but today we got what we deserved. Brentford was a totally different game. Away at Boro on a windy night, their style is totally different. They were really up for it and we were second best.”

Leeds remain six points back from the play-offs but are likely to fall further adrift before they host league leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road on Wednesday.

Heckingbottom insisted he was not focusing on the play-offs, saying: “I never have but I get asked the questions. All I’m bothered about is performances and I hope I’ve been clear enough with the players in there.”