AITOR KARANKA felt Middlesbrough’s stoppage-time winner in last night’s play-off semi-final first leg at Brentford was a fitting reward for the cavalier spirit that proved so costly in the final throes of the regular Championship season.

Fernando Amorebieta’s stoppage-time strike secured a 2-1 advantage ahead of Friday’s second leg at the Riverside, and makes Boro firm favourites to make the play-off final against either Norwich or Ipswich, who play their first leg later today.

Andre Gray’s second-half strike cancelled out Jelle Vossen’s first-half opener at Griffin Park, but with the game seemingly destined for a draw, Amorebieta drilled in a deflected strike after Brentford’s defenders failed to clear a corner.

On the penultimate weekend of the regular season, Boro paid a heavy price when Dimi Konstantopoulos was caught upfield in the closing stages of the 4-3 defeat at Fulham, but having been every bit as positive in the closing stages of last night’s game, Karanka was delighted to see his positive approach rewarded.

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“We didn’t play all that well, but football is about goals,” said the Boro head coach. “In the past, we have had a lot of chances but haven’t been able to score goals, and today we didn’t have that many chances, but we scored twice.

“Two weeks ago (at Fulham), when I sent Dimi forward to try to head a corner because I thought we needed to win the game, we conceded a goal and I was criticised.

“But today I sent Fernando forward to head a corner because I thought that we could score the second goal and that would have been better for us.

“It was great when that happened and we have taken a very good step (towards the final). But we haven’t done anything yet, and we have another game to play now on Friday.”

Last night’s performance followed the template of many of Boro’s most impressive away displays this term, with Karanka’s players maintaining a disciplined shape and soaking up a considerable amount of pressure before hitting their opponents on the break.

With Grant Leadbitter and Adam Clayton especially influential at the heart of midfield, the Teessiders threw themselves into a series of crucial tackles, and while six players picked up a yellow card, it was to their credit that they finished with all 11 players still on the field.

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“I was concerned and was waiting to do the substitutions because it is very important in a game like this to finish with 11 players,” said Karanka. “If someone had been sent off, we would have lost them today and for the next game.

“It was important to keep them all on the pitch, but all the lads who had a yellow card were intelligent and managed to finish the game.”

Having taken the lead midway through the first half, Boro conceded their advantage when Konstantopoulos saw his attempted clearance charged down by Andre Gray, who squeezed the ball home from an acute angle.

The error was the Greek goalkeeper’s second in the space of three matches after he was caught upfield at Craven Cottage, but Karanka was not about to apportion any blame.

Konstantopoulos should have cleared the ball before he was dispossessed, with Ben Gibson also in close proximity, but his sprawling save from Jonathan Douglas moments later was a sensational piece of goalkeeping.

“It was a mistake, and we have to learn from that,” said Karanka. “But we are only in the play-offs because of players like Dimi and Gibbo and what they have done this season. They have to learn from what happened, but the most important thing is that we went on to win the game.”

Patrick Bamford played for 90 minutes before he was replaced by Kike, and while the Chelsea loanee will be closely monitored this week as he continues to struggle with an ankle complaint, Karanka is confident he will be fit to start the second leg.

“He still has some pain in his tendon and I won’t be taking any risks with him,” he said. “I didn’t know until the morning of the game that he would be ready to play, but he is an important player for us and he knows that.”