A first-half penalty from Grant Leadbitter has given Middlesbrough a 1-0 win over Brentford at Griffin Park in the Championship this afternoon.
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After Patrick Bamford missed an early chance for the visitors, Brentford started to dominate, but Dimitrios Konstantopoulos made a fingertip save to deny Jota, while a James Tarkowski header from a corner was blocked on the line by Leadbitter.
The hosts continued to look the more likely throughout the first half, as Jota made a run down the left to set up Stuart Dallas for a low effort, but the keeper was on hand to make another save.
Boro started to see more of the ball as half time approached though, and were able to break the deadlock when David Button brought down Bamford, allowing Leadbitter to fire in his eighth penalty of the season.
Aitor Karanka's side came close to doubling their lead just moments after the restart as they forced a corner, but Vossen's header from Leadbitter's delivery was wide of the post.
Brentford pushed for an equaliser, with Jota testing Konstantopoulos a 25-yard rocket, before Dallas attempted a volley from the resulting corner, which was a fraction high of the crossbar.
Middlesbrough tried to catch the home side out on the break, but Lee Tomlin's through-ball for Bamford was pushed wide by the striker.
Brentford continued to create the majority of the chances as the hour mark approached, with Dallas just missing the bar as he tried to pick out the top corner, while Andre Gray burst into the box before firing a weak finish straight at the keeper.
As the final 10 minutes approached, Tomlin attempted to put the result beyond doubt with a half-volley, but his finish was well high.
Some of the Brentford fans thought that they were back on level terms when Tarkowski attempted to slice the ball in from a tight angle late on, but his finish ended up in the side-netting.
The hosts continued to push deep into stoppage time, but Dallas's last-gasp attempt was blocked at the far post by Ryan Fredericks.
The win moves Boro up to second in the Championship table, while Brentford stay fifth.
Sian Cowper
