Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton believes that the club's warm-weather trip to Marbella before the playoff semi-final with Brentford was a "masterstroke".

Adam Clayton has claimed that Middlesbrough's recent trip to Marbella gave them a lift ahead of Friday night's Championship playoff semi-final first leg with Brentford.

Boro put themselves in pole position to advance to the Wembley final on Bank Holiday Monday later this month by winning 2-1 at Griffin Park, with substitute Fernando Amorebieta grabbing a late winner for the visitors.

After picking up just one point out of a possible six from their final two games of the season to miss out on automatic promotion, Boro boss Aitor Karanka flew the squad to Southern Spain for some warm-weather training and centre-midfielder Clayton feels that it was a "masterstroke".

"I think [going to Spain] was a masterstroke," he told the club website. "It was just what we needed.

"You could see against Brighton (on the final day of the season) it was tired legs after a long season and more just to reinvigorate a few brains and legs.

"It really did that, there was a lot of mischief and banter going on so the bond of the group got stronger and it was worthwhile trip."

Boro are hoping to end an six-year stay in the Championship by winning the playoffs. The second leg against Brentford takes place at the Riverside on Friday night.