A well drilled Middlesbrough side grabbed a narrow 1-0 win over Brentford at Griffin Park on Saturday.

With both sides aiming to go second in the table it was always destined to be a close affair and Boro took advantage of a slip by the Bees defence just before the break to grab the only goal of the game from the penalty spot.

Brentford started brightly and enjoyed the majority of chances during the first half.

Stuart Dallas and Jonathan Douglas combined in the first minute to set up Alex Pritchard, whose shot from 20 yards was wide of the left hand post.

At the other end Boro crossed from the left but Patrick Bamford couldn’t quite get on the end of it and it was touched behind for a corner.

The lively Pritchard then set up Jota with a low free kick from the left, but the Spaniard’s shot was touched over by Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.

A flowing move from the Bees then saw Jota find Dallas, who was unlucky to see his shot cannon off the right hand post.

Douglas then set up Pritchard, whose shot was deflected and grabbed by Konstantopoulos.

A Pritchard free kick from 35 yards was then headed wide by James Tarkowski.

The game’s turning point came just before the break when Harlee Dean failed to deal with a through ball and David Button brought down Bamford inside the box.

Grant Leadbitter made no mistake, smashing the ball home from the spot.

Brentford continued to enjoy plenty of possession, but looked less likely to score during the second half.

Button made a good save early in the half when Jelle Vossen’s header at the near post was turned behind by the keeper.

Boro looked dangerous on the break, with Button pushing Bamford’s shot behind.

Minutes later the visitors enjoyed an even better chance when they broke quickly and Vossen shot wastefully over the bar.

Brentford almost grabbed an equaliser in the dying minutes, with Dallas seeing a header diverted for a corner, but Boro’s defence stood firm.

Brentford: Button; Odubajo, Dean (sub Smith 89), Tarkowski, Bidwell; Pritchard, Douglas, Diagouraga (sub Toral 76), Jota, Dallas; Gray (sub Long 76) Subs (not used): Bonham, Craig, Yennaris, Saunders