Late goal stuns Bees as Boro win first leg
Brentford 1 Middlesbrough 2
Fernando Amorebieta’s injury-time winner condemned Brentford to defeat in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg at Griffin Park.
On as a late substitute, the on-loan Fulham defender smashed home a loose ball inside the box after Andre Gray’s second-half equaliser looked to have earned a draw for the hosts.
The visitors, who narrowly missed out on automatic promotion, had taken a deserved half-time lead when Jelle Vossen’s header beat David Button.
Mark Warburton’s side must now beat Middlesbrough at the Riverside in the second leg next Friday – only three teams have managed to win there in the Championship all season.
Brentford had a solitary chance before Vossen’s opener, when Alan Judge forced keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos to push a fierce effort destined for the near corner round the post.
But they should have done better to defend Adam Clayton’s pinpoint cross that allowed Belgian Vossen to steer a calm header into the far corner on 25 minutes.
Button made two good saves to deny Vossen a second before the interval, the second an outstanding reflex, stop clawing the ball away from the goal-line.
The Bees could have equalised just before the break when James Tarkowski headed a corner just over and Gray fired a warning shot over the bar before his leveller – a simple finish into an empty net after Konstantopoulos lost possession outside his own box.
Brentford had further chances, including a Jonathan Douglas header which was saved, before Amorebieta popped up with his first Boro goal.
Brentford (4-2-3-1): Button; Odubajo, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; Douglas, Diagouraga; Jota (Dallas 77), Judge (Smith 88), Pritchard; Gray.
Subs not used: Bonham, Macleod, Craig, McCormack, Toral.
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