Half-time: Middlesbrough 1, Brentford 0

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Brentford trail at the break to a cracking effort from distance from Grant Leadbitter.

Middlesbrough’s captain broke the deadlock after 34 minutes with a strike from outside the box which left Bees keeper David Button with no chance.

Brentford had a fair chunk of the ball in the first half but the vast majority of chances fell the home side’s way.

Middlesbrough’s on-loan Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford, making his home debut, flashed a shot just over the top in the opening seconds, Button collected a header from Belgian striker Jelle Vossen and Emilio Nsue sent a chip over the crossbar.

Former Harrow Borough winger Albert Adomah was lively throughout and sent an effort just wide but Brentford couldn’t keep Boro’ at bay for long, as Leadbitter struck.

The midfielder almost repeated the trick just before the break but this time his shot flew over the bar.

Jota and Alex Pritchard both sent shots off target as the first half drew to a close.

Brentford (4-1-4-1): Button; McCormack, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; Douglas; Odubajo, Pritchard, Jota, Judge; Gray.
Subs: Bonham, Craig, Moore, Tebar, Toral, Betinho, Proschwitz-

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