Brentford 1-2 Middlesbrough

Fernando Amorebieta scored Middlesbrough's winner in stoppage time

A late Fernando Amorebieta winner at Griffin Park gave Middlesbrough a slim advantage in their Championship play-off semi-final against Brentford.

Substitute Amorebieta struck in injury time to give Boro a first-leg win.

Jelle Vossen gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half, heading Adam Clayton's cross into the corner.

Andre Gray drew the Bees level when he robbed goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos on the edge of his penalty area and turned the ball into an empty net.

But Amorebieta's well-struck winner, which came after Brentford had dominated the second half, gives Aitor Karanka's side a one-goal cushion heading into the second leg on Friday, 15 May.

Brentford, who are attempting to win successive promotions under Mark Warburton but have been unsuccessful in all their previous seven play-off campaigns, will need to score in the second leg at Riverside Stadium if they are to keep alive their hopes of returning to the top flight for the first time since 1947.

Boro finished one place and seven points above Brentford, who will part company with Warburton at the end of the season, in the final league table and won both league meetings during the season.

Jelle Vossen was left unmarked to head Boro ahead in the first half

The opening period was a cagey and scrappy affair and the first real chance came after 15 minutes, when Alan Judge forced a save from Konstantopoulos at his near post.

Vossen's unmarked header from the middle of the box gave the visitors, who are looking to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2009, the advantage.

The Belgian came close to doubling Boro's lead, latching on to a knock-down in the box and stabbing a shot goalwards but Brentford goalkeeper David Button managed to claw it off the line.

Gray equalised nine minutes into the second half after chasing a seemingly lost cause, charging down a clearance from Greek goalkeeper Konstantopoulos and guiding the ball in for his 18th goal of a prolific campaign.

Albert Adomah's left-footed half-volley tested Button from the edge of the area, while Konstantopoulos made amends for his earlier mistake, pulling off a great diving save to turn Jonathan Douglas's looping header behind.

Just as an entertaining and engaging encounter - which contained nine yellow cards - seemed to be heading for a draw, Boro snatched their late winner and a crucial first-leg advantage from a corner.

Venezuelan defender Amorebieta, on loan from Fulham, latched onto a loose ball and steered a left-footed shot past Button in the dying seconds, leading to wild celebrations from the Boro players at full-time.

Brentford manager Mark Warburton: "We got hurt by their deflection to send it into the far corner but we created chances, and right at the end another one flashed across the front of the goal.

"Our job now is to go there and win the game. Simple as that.

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka: "It's very important because you know it's always important to win the games, especially away.

"We haven't done anything yet because Brentford are a very good team.

"They had chances, especially from their set-pieces, so we have to prepare very well at the Riverside and we have to work with the same intensity."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was in the stands to see his former assistant at Real Madrid, Aitor Karanka (r), take charge of Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough have won all seven games in which Jelle Vossen has scored this season

Andre Gray took advantage of an rare mistake from Dimi Konstantopoulos to net his 18th goal of the season

Middlesbrough are hoping to return to the Premier League after a six-year absence

Mark Warburton is leaving Brentford at the end of the season and could take charge of the Bees for the last time next Friday