Boro have set the pace in the early months of the Championship season, but they had endured an unsettling few days.
They were easily dispatched by Watford on Saturday and then Edwards had to quash rumours linking him with the vacant head coach role at Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Despite their lofty position, they have been short of goals with four players sharing the top-scoring honours on two each.
Their best chance in the first half fell to Slovakia forward David Strelec – without a goal in seven games – from close range but he could not lift the ball over Jakub Stolarczyk after the goalkeeper had fumbled Matt Targett’s right-footed effort.
Stolarczyk did not reappear for the second half, having received treatment earlier in the first period and on in his place came Asmir Begovic for his first Foxes appearance. Now 38, it was his first game since playing for QPR in April 2024 and a 10th English league club.
The Bosnia international looked to have earned his side the three points when he denied Tommy Conway in a one-on-one, but there was nothing he could do about Ayling’s header.
And the 34-year-old celebrated wildly with the travelling supporters after claiming his first goal since August 2023.