GIVEN that a clean sheet in this evening’s semi-final decider with Brentford will guarantee Middlesbrough a place in the play-off final at Wembley, Aitor Karanka’s side will take considerable comfort from finishing the regular Championship season with the best defensive record in the division.

In their 46 matches, Boro conceded just 25 goals. They were especially strong at the Riverside, letting in just 12 goals in their 23 home games, and the likes of Dimi Konstantopoulos, Daniel Ayala, Ben Gibson and George Friend all played crucial roles in constructing such an impressive set of defensive statistics.

Karanka’s training-ground work with his defenders was also crucial, but speak to any member of the Teessiders’ backline, and they will quickly highlight two more people who were absolutely integral to Boro’s defensive strength. Crucially, they will both be in their usual stations this evening, attempting to keep things tight once more.

Grant Leadbitter and Adam Clayton have formed a formidable defensive-midfield unit this season, and for all that Boro’s defenders have impressed, the fact that so many opposition attacks were snuffed out before they reached the last line of defence was a key factor in enabling the Teessiders to keep so many clean sheets.

Leadbitter has spent his entire career doing the dirty work at the heart of midfield, but when Clayton joined Boro from Huddersfield Town last summer, he did so with a reputation for being a creative playmaker with an eye for goal.

Nine months on, and while his goalscoring prowess is still to be witnessed, his energy, tackling ability and positional discipline have enabled him to emerge as one of the most important members of the Middlesbrough squad.

Seven days ago, as Boro secured their crucial first-leg win at Griffin Park, he was the best player on the pitch, breaking up a succession of opposition moves and calmly playing a series of passes to his team-mates to ensure the visitors were able to launch a series of effective counter-attacks. More of the same tonight, and the Teessiders will be well on the way to the final.

“I’ve done a totally different job this season to the one that I normally do,” said Clayton, whose appearance in the first leg was his 43rd start of the campaign. “Before I came here, I’d have said that I was an attacking midfielder, but now I’d definitely say I’m a defensive midfielder with the way I’ve been asked to play.

“I’ve had to change my game, but I think playing alongside Grant we definitely complement each other quite well. He’s a good player and it’s easy to play with good players. If you’ve got two players in there who are not bad at football, and they’re disciplined with it as well, then you’ve got half a chance.”

Clayton’s willingness to adapt his personal ambitions for the good of the team is commendable, but hardly unique amongst the current Middlesbrough squad.

Of all Karanka’s achievements since succeeding Tony Mowbray a little over a year-and-a-half ago, one of his most impressive is the successful way in which he has persuaded his players to buy into a powerful team ethic that means their primary thought is always for the good of the collective.

“The gaffer gets everyone in his team working for each other and it’s very much a team effort here,” said Clayton. “No one is out for the glory, we just want to get where we can get to with each other.”

Avoid defeat tonight, and that end point will only be one game away. As this year’s Football League play-offs have already proved, the second leg of matches can quickly become chaotic, but while the lure of a place in the Premier League means it will be impossible to pretend that everything is normal this evening, Clayton admits it is crucial that Boro’s players do not allow their emotions to get the better of them.

“If we can get the first goal, that will put us in quite a strong position,” he said. “But even if we don’t, we’re at home and we’ve got a very good record. We just have to play the game as if it’s just another game.

“It’s an even playing field and nothing has happened before it. Obviously, if it gets to the last ten minutes and you’re 1-0 up, you’re not sending Dimi up and stuff like that. But as far as the game goes, we just have to take it as a normal game and try to win it.”