STEPHEN McManus' stoppage-time header salvaged a point as Middlesbrough secured an entertaining 3-3 draw with Leicester.

It had looked like Ayegbeni Yakubu would come back to haunt Boro when the former Teessider claimed a hat-trick to fire Leicester into a 3-1 lead.

But after Rhys Williams pulled a goal back midway through the second half, McManus rose highest in the third minute of stoppage time to complete the fightback.

Yakubu, who scored 35 goals in 89 appearances for Boro, opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute, prodding home Richie Wellens' cross-cum-shot from inside the six-yard box.

Boro levelled nine minutes later, when Marvin Emnes raced on to Richie Smallwood's through ball and drilled a precise low finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

Smallwood and Scott McDonald both failed to find the target with half chances before the break, and Leicester reclaimed the lead in first-half stoppage time.

Jeffrey Bruma sent a looping header spiralling towards goal from Wellens' corner, and with goalkeeper Paul Smith claiming he was impeded, a combination of Yakubu and Souleymane Bamba bundled the ball in.

Yakubu spun away celebrating, but the final touch appeared to come from Ivory Coast international Bamba.

Yakubu did not have to wait long for another goal of his own, though, as he extended the visitors' lead four minutes after the interval.

Darius Vassell's pass sent the Nigerian galloping clear, and he calmly slotted a precise finish past an exposed Smith.

Boro reduced the arrears midway through the second half with a superb strike from Williams, who was back at the heart of midfield.

The Australia international chipped the ball up himself before dispatching a stunning 20-yard volley into the bottom left-hand corner.

Substitute Merouane Zemmama came close to an equaliser with a 25-yard free-kick that hit the outside of the post, but Julio Arca wasted a glorious opportunity to score from the spot with 14 minutes left.

The Argentinian won the penalty when his shot hit Bruma's arm, but his tame effort was saved by Leicester goalkeeper Chris Weale.

Bruma continued to argue about the decision after the spot-kick, and received a second yellow card for dissent.

Another Boro opportunity presented itself in the 90th minute, but after prodding Tarmo Kink's long ball around Weale, Emnes hit the upright from an acute angle.

However, there was to be late drama in the third minute of stoppage time.

Substitute McManus met Tony McMahon's right-wing corner and powered home an unstoppable header from eight yards out.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Smith; McMahon, Hines, Davies (McManus 71), Bennett; Smallwood (Zemmama 60), R Williams, Arca, Taylor (Kink 71); Emnes, McDonald.

Subs (not used): Coyne (gk), Grounds, Tavares, Halliday.

LEICESTER (4-3-3): Weale; Naughton, Bruma, Bamba, van Aanholt; Gallagher (Abe 71), Oakley, Wellens; Vassell, Yakubu (Vitor 80), Kamara (Waghorn 88).

Subs (not used): Ricardo (gk), King, Dyer, Howard.