Middlesbrough brush off Brentford to stand one step from top-flight return
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Version 0 of 1. Aitor Karanka limbered up for this penultimate hurdle on what he hopes will prove Middlesbrough’s road back to the Premier League with a family trip to North Yorkshire’s Flamingo Land. When Boro’s manager was spotted making full use of the theme park’s rollercoasters, the cod psychologists had a field day. Yet if the Spaniard regarded it as perfect preparation for a seemingly awkward rematch with Brentford, Karanka could not have been more wrong. In the event his players – with Lee Tomlin outstanding and Grant Leadbitter extremely impressive – simply dissected Mark Warburton’s side with the sort of ruthless efficiency that could serve them well in the top tier. There is the small matter of a Wembley final against either Ipswich or Norwich first but the Boro fans who invaded the pitch in deliriously joyous fashion at the final whistle have no doubts about the outcome. “Don’t you worry, we’re going up,” they chanted as Warburton, rather sadly, exited Brentford’s dug-out for the final time. A disagreement over recruitment, tactics and statistical models with the club’s board has prompted his imminent replacement. It begs the question who is possibly going to do better than the manager who led them out of League One only last season. Whatever happened to “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? “Tonight we were second best but over the season the players have been tremendous,” said Warburton. “There’s disappointment, frustration, sadness, no question,” he acknowledged. “It’s very, very frustrating. But I’d like to think that I leave the club in a better, healthier state than when I arrived.” Dignity personified, he made a point of praising Boro: “They’re very strong, very well organised and they’ve got some outstanding players. They’re a big club with Premier League support. They deserved to win and it was their party.” After narrowly losing the first leg in west London, the Brentford camp had been a little sniffy about Boro. A gentle moan that Karanka’s side are all set pieces and counterattacks was the gist of it and Warburton’s players immediately set about proving their point with some initially superior passing football. “It was the perfect night but for the first 10 minutes I feared it could be a nightmare,” conceded Boro’s manager. Unfazed his players simply retained their shape, pressed diligently and dished out their fair share of wince-inducing tackles as Lee Mason refrained from flourishing what might have been a few early yellow cards. Gradually the Teessiders began not only out-muscling Brentford but producing some sweet passing moves. With Leadbitter and Adam Clayton increasingly controlling midfield, “We’re going to Wembley” echoed around the ground. That anthem no longer seemed quite such a case of tempting fate once Tomlin curled a wonderful shot into the top corner from the edge of the area. Encouragingly for Karanka, the goal’s preamble was every bit as good as its conclusion. It began with Leadbitter switching play courtesy of a wonderful 40-yard ball and the exciting Albert Adomah rolling a pass to Tomlin before leaving the scorer to do the rest. Suddenly the Riverside was rocking in a manner rarely seen since the spring of 2006 and the team’s run to the Uefa Cup final under Steve McClaren. Brentford refused to fold but, scrabbling for half-chances, they must have sensed that Wembley and, possibly, the Premier League, were suddenly blurry, fast diminishing images on their horizon. With Adomah offering Jake Bidwell, Brentford’s left-back, an exacting work-out, the visitors wobbled but still came mighty close to equalising from their first realistic chance. Half-time was fast approaching when Alan Judge crossed and, for once, the normally dependable Daniel Ayala mis-judged the ball’s trajectory. It fell to Andre Gray who must have cursed as his header deflected off Dean Whitehead and into the grateful arms of Dimi Konstantopoulos. A stretching Kike was inches away from connecting with Adomah’s inviting cross early in the second half. At the other end Moses Odubajo delivered a superb low cross of his own but the ball eluded all available defenders before being also missed by a straining Gray. With that warning shot, Boro promptly extended their lead at the end of a counterattack notable for the excellence of its execution. When Jota conceded possession, Tomlin dispatched a fabulous through-ball collected by Jelle Vossen. Having held off a defender, he drew David Button from his line and laid off to Kike who lashed the ball into the net before twirling his shirt above his head. After Adomah scored the third – stepping inside David Button and shooting unerringly from six yards following an exquisite one-two with the excellent Tomlin – Jonathan Woodgate came off the bench to a standing ovation. “It’s amazing,” said Karanka, the strains of “I’m a believer” still echoing from the Riverside’s sound system. “It’s fantastic. I have always dreamt of Wembley and I’ve thanked my players for giving me the opportunity to manage there. They’re amazing lads with amazing spirit.” |