Match Report: Brentford vs Middlesbrough
Brentford 0-1 Middlesbrough
On a day where the 3 points could’ve gone to either team, it was the visitors who took them all through a Grant Ledbitter penalty as the match ended 1-0 to go 2nd in the table. It will be a mixed feel of emotions for Mark Warburton’s side as although they played a good game against a top team, thy failed to convert their chances however it’s a vital 3 points for boros promotion push as they won at a tough ground even though they were not at their best for some of the game.
Brentford looked to be a completely new side to the one that lost 4-0 earlier this season at the riverside and were determined to avenge that humiliation. The first chance came to the bees in 11 minutes as the lively Pritchard sent in a great cross from a corner to Grey who headed the ball wide, 2 minutes later they got unlucky as the Spaniard Jota was unmarked from a set piece and his shot was saved by Konstantopoulos.
Brentford, who were looking more confident than the last encounter, had much more possession and came very close in the 17th minute when Stuart Dallas struck a sweet shot on the edge of the box but is was saved by Konstantopoulos but it went straight to Odubajo who could only hit the post as Middlesbrough got a lucky break.
Boro were very poor in the first half but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on the 44th minute as the man in form Patrick Bamford was sent through and David Button clipped the striker’s legs as it was an easy decision for referee Simon Hooper to award boro a penalty. Captain Grant Ledbitter stepped up to take it and kept his cool and his 100% success rate from the spot this season to score his 12th goal of the campaign.
Brentford felt hard done by at the HT mark as they were superb in the first half against a shaky Middlesbrough side who could do better.
The visitors had a point to prove in the 2nd half and Vossen came close twice to scoring a goal with 2 header from corners in the 47th minute 1 saved by Button and the other went marginally wide. Unlucky for the Belgian.
Brentford were pushing for an equaliser and it nearly came on the 51st minute when Stuart Dallas hit an edge of the box volley brilliantly from a corner but it just went over but it was a fantastic effort from the winger.
Boro played a lot better in the 2nd half especially with their ability to trouble Brentford on the counter, they nearly scored from a counter attack in the 53rd minute as Tomlin sent Bamford through and saw his shot saved well by the Brentford shot stopper Button. 3 minutes later Adomah had a glorious opportunity to double boros lead as Vossen sent through the Ghanaian but he stuck it over from close range as his goal drought continues.
For much of the 2nd half it was very even play from both teams as both sets of defences were on point which is to be expected by 2 teams in the top 6 and things were definitely better in the 2nd half for Karankas men.
After a scare in the 95th minute from a Brentford corner, boro kept there cool and clean sheet to secure another 3 points on the road.
MOTM: For me Jelle Vossen was superb with his crosses and ball control and was unlucky not to score. The Belgian was applauded off when he got subbed from the travelling fans with good reason and for me was boros best player and the game’s best player.