Boro stung as Bees claim win

Middlesbrough’s fading hope so fan automatic promotion spot took a battering at the Riverside Stadium when Brentford came from behind to win 2-1.

Ashley Fletcher’s poacher’s finish in the sixth minute looked to have put Boro on track for a third win in four undefeated games in the race to the Premier League.

But a victory that was very much required because of wins for Norwich, Sheffield United and Leeds was taken away from Boro in the final 20 minutes, leaving them 12 points off the top two.

Defender Ryan Shotton helped Henrik Dalsgaard’s drive into his own net after some poor defending in the 70th minute and that was followed by Said Benrahama’s winner three minutes later.

It was only Brentford’s second away win of the campaign and left Middlesbrough fans questioning Tony Pulis’ decision to replace striker Britt Assombalonga with fullback George Friend when they led.

Fletcher rewarded Pulis’ recent faith in him by scoring for a second home game in a row to edge Boro ahead.

The former Sunderland loan man reacted first in the area to force a finish over the line after goalkeeper Daniel Bentley had spilled Mo Besic’s low drive from 20 yards.

That opening goal arrived after Middlesbrough midfielder Jonny Howson and Brentford striker Neil Maupay had seen decent lobbed efforts drop the wrong side of the upright.

Brentford then had the better of the chances. In fact they had the ball in the net twice and each occasion referee Jeremy Simpson ruled them out, one for offside and one for a foul.

The Bees did score when Shotton turned into his own net, and they took the lead in the 73rd minute. Dalsgaard teed up Benrahama in the box to power first time inside Randolph’s bottom corner.

Middlesbrough: Randolph, Ayala, Shotton, Fry, Howson, Mikel, Besic (Hugill 74), Saville (Tavernier 88), Wing, Fletcher, Assombalonga (Friend 62). Subs Not Used: Konstantopoulos, Clayton, McNair, Downing. Booked: Assombalonga, Mikel, Ayala, Hugill, Howson. Goals: Fletcher 6.

Brentford: Bentley (Gunnarsson 75), Konsa, Sorensen, Barbet, Dalsgaard, Mokotjo, Sawyers, Odubajo, Canos (Marcondes 84), Maupay, Benrahma (Watkins 79). Subs Not Used: Da Silva, Forss, Oksanen. Booked: Konsa. Goals: Shotton 70 og, Benrahma 73.

Att: 22,069 Ref: Jeremy Simpson.