Brentford 0 - Middlesbrough 1: Luck on Karanka's side as Boro steal win with fluke goal

MIDDLESBROUGH earned a stroke of luck to continue their promotion drive thanks to a complete howler from David Button.

 

Daniel Ayala grabbed the winner

 

The Brentford goalkeeper bizarrely punched straight into his own net under little pressure from Grant Leadbitter's 61st-minute corner with Daniel Ayala claiming a final touch on the line.

And an incredible, if sometimes fortunate, second tier record equalling ninth straight clean sheet helped Boro move six points clear at the top.

This was far from their finest hour this term but could be one of their most important wins.

"Sometimes when you are at the top of the table this thing happens," admitted manager Aitor Karanka. "We've been very lucky.

 

"After the first half the score could have been completely different as they had three good chances and we made a few mistakes."

Boro had looked unusual out of sorts at the back without Ben Gibson and could have fallen behind on numerous occasions early on.

Alan Judge shot just wide from Lasse Vibe's pass while Ayala was lucky to survive a major mistake after he slipped letting in the Danish forward before his goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos came to his rescue.

At the other end Boro could have taken the lead when an Adam Clayton effort deflected straight into the arms of Button while Dave Nugent was also denied from a powerful effort following Stewart Downing's pass.

This was a decent game where both sides played their part but Brentford will be frustrated they could not make the most of their first half moments with Harlee Dean glanced wide from a Judge cross.

 

At the other end, Toumani Diagouraga, who was denied a move to Rangers this week, could have given Middlesbrough the opening goal though, with a poor back pass that Nugent seized on before Button came to Brentford's rescue.

The on-song Judge nearly put the Bees in front before the break first striking the post before nearly catching Konstantopoulos out.

Brentford dominated the opening moments in the second half with Maxime Colin denied by Konstantopoulos and Judge also going close again.

But the hosts were architects of their own downfall due and there was no way back into this contest for them after Button's error.

"We were marginally the better side," said Brentford boss Dean Smith. "Our goalkeeper made a mistake but everyone makes mistakes."