Brentford vs Middlesbrough match report: Fernando Amorebieta gives Boro the edge in Championship play-off semi-final first-leg

Brentford 1 Middlesbrough 2

Fernando Amorebieta is mobbed after late goal (GETTY IMAGES)

Beaten twice by a physically powerful Middlesbrough earlier in the season, Brentford did not deserve to be on the wrong end of the hat-trick last night. An exit poll among any supporters sneaking out before the end of a thilling contest would have produced a majority believing they could still upset the odds and make it to the Championship play-off final at Wembley on 25 May. In the fourth minute of added time, however, those odds became daunting when Middlesbrough substitute Fernando Amorebieta hooked in a winning goal from a corner.

Brentford's manager Mark Warburton and his assistant David Weir, leaving at the end of the month whatever happens, were given an rousing send-off after their last match at Griffin Park, but to lose after an impressive second half recovery made it a bitter-sweet night for them.

Promoted a year ago from League One, they fought back admirably from conceding the opening goal to Jelle Vossen and were on top once Andre Gray scored his 18th goal of the season to equalise.

"It was a better second half," Warburton said. "We must defend better but we did enough to say we'll go up there next Friday and give a good show."

Drawing the second game of an eventful season 6-6 away to Dagenham & Redbridge promised a lively campaign for his team, as well as illustrating their strength and weakness. Having knocked in 78 league goals and conceded 59 proved a vulnerabilty in defence, which Middlesbrough, more frugal at both ends of the pitch, took advantage of to lead after 25 minutes.

Their captain, Grant Leadbitter, had a free-kick on the left half-cleared, after which Adam Clayton was given too much room to cross from the opposite flank for a poorly marked Vossen to direct his low header into the net. Before the home side could compose themselves, Moses Oduajo's weak clearance gave Lee Tomlin a shooting chance and a corner from which a second goal was prevented by a matter of millimetres. That was how close the ball was to crossing the line fully after George Friend's header and Vossen's volleyed jab, before goalkeper David Button clawed it back.

Chelsea's manager Jose Mourinho was in the stand to watch Patrick Bamford, the Championship player of the year who he had been happy to loan to his friend and former Real Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka. Like Andre Gray, playing the same main striker's role for Brentford, Bamford was well policed. Gray also suffered for most of the night from a physical disadvantage against two hulking central defenders, whose height added to the visitors' threat from set pieces.

By half-time, the home side's best efforts were therefore a fiercely struck 25 yard drive by Alan Judge and a header over the bar by centre-half James Tarkowski. That latter effort stemmed from a free-kick conceded by Clayton, whose yellow card was one of Boro's six.

The FA Cup final referee Jon Moss, who had apparently handled only one Championship match this season, found his fitness examined in keeping up with the furious pace of the game and his patience tested by Boro's tackling.

If Gray was guilty of a bad miss soon after the interval, he quickly made amends. First there was a glorious chance as Judge crossed and the Spaniard Jota touched the ball on. The striker, still playing non-League football a year ago for Luton Town, wasted the opportunity but then refused to give up the chase for Jake Bidwell's overhit pass down the left. He was rewarded as the goalkeeper, Dimitros Konstantopoulos, unwisely advanced from his penalty area and hit the ball against Gray, who calmly angled it into the empty net.

Not that Karanka's team were prepared to sit back and as play swept breathlessly back and forth, each goalkeeper pulled off an exceptional save to keep the tie level until Amoribieta's late flourish. Button was first, leaping high to his left to repel Adomah's left footer struck on the rise; four minutes later Konstantopoulos had to do the same as Jonathan Douglas burst forward onto the end of Jota's cross for a header that was on course for the top corner of the net.

It was harsh on Warburton's braves when a late corner was headed back into the danger area for Amorebieta, on loan from their neighbours Fulham, to drive in off a defender. "We have to keep the ball more," Karanka said. But it's an amazing win."