Middlesbrough secured a 1-0 away win over Birmingham City on Tuesday night and it was Luke Ayling that helped provide the game’s defining moment – with the Leeds ace supplying the assist.
Leaving Leeds in January and pretty much ending his eight-year stint at Elland Road, 32-year-old Ayling moved to Michael Carrick’s side in search of more game time. He has certainly got it, at The Riverside.
Already, the right-back has started every game available for Boro – 10 in a row, going into Tuesday’s clash at Birmingham. A game that saw boss Tony Mowbray welcome his old side to The Midlands.
Ayling commented on his game time over the weekend, stating he is really happy to have joined a big club like Boro – branding the form of Archie Gray as “unbelievable”. Gray kept him out of the Leeds side.
But Ayling’s form has been impressive of late, too. Firstly, an assist in a 3-1 win over Norwich and then on the weekend – he created Boro’s second in a 2-0 win over QPR. On Tuesday, he got a third assist.
Luke Ayling produces third assist in three for Middlesbrough
Boro made it three league wins from three and kept any faint hopes of a play-off place alive, with 1-0 win. Riley McGree got the only goal of the game, and it was Ayling that created the goal for Boro.
Ayling picked up a loose ball in midfield, and shifted a neat little right-footed lay-off into McGree. The Aussie star slammed home a left-footed shot into the top corner from the best part of 25 yards out.
His ability in the final third has never been doubted, but perhaps the consistency comes as a surprise. Indeed, Ayling only ever laid on 21 goals in 268 games for Leeds. Now, he has three assists in 11.
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