AS if there had not been enough written about Albert Adomah already this season – only this time he made sure it was for all the right reasons at the Riverside Stadium.

If there was a way to prove he was back on board after an unsettling few weeks since his spat with head coach Aitor Karanka then this was it as he helped Boro over the line against Brentford.

After Uruguayan Cristhian Stuani had grabbed his first two goals on Teesside – taking his season’s tally to seven in mid-September in just three starts – to highlight he will be a real threat in the Championship, Adomah marked his return to action in style.

Adomah had only been on the pitch nine minutes when he had teed up a second for Stuani, whose first half goal had been cancelled out when Lasse Vibe capitalised on a blunder from Dimi Konstantopoulos, and then his night got even better.

With 12 minutes remaining Adomah, who had not played since handing in a transfer request in late August, struck his first goal of the season in style to secure the points which lifted Middlesbrough up in to the second automatic promotion place behind unbeaten leaders Brighton.

Brentford were lively enough but there was a sense that whenever Middlesbrough, who were never in full flow, wanted to pick it up a gear they could – and pick it up a gear was exactly what the introduction of Adomah did for them.

If Brentford’s Dutch boss Marinus Dijkhuizen made a point about the size of his squad by naming two goalkeepers on his bench, then his opposite number had no such concerns. Karanka’s problem was who to leave out, particularly as he decided to reintroduce Adomah back in to the match-day squad.

Adomah, who had not been involved since his bust up with the boss after the defeat to Bristol City on August 22, was given plenty of support from the home fans when his name was read out beforehand, when he first warmed up down the touchline and then when he was brought on in the second half.

He was a substitute along with latest signing Carlos de Pena, who was involved for the first time since his £2.6m switch from Nacional, but it was hoped Middlesbrough would be out of sight before either of those were brought on. Not so.

Despite a couple of scares for Brentford goalkeeper David Button, Middlesbrough had to be patient again on a night when fans might have expected a straight forward victory after the recent successes over MK Dons and Sheffield Wednesday.

Stewart Downing was the closest to scoring in the first half hour. He curled a free-kick from 20 yards round the wall and into the side netting, which did bring some celebrations from supporters at the opposite end of the ground who thought it had gone in.

Before that the only effort that did find the target was when David Nugent, just three days after his first goal for the club, directed a harmless shot from 22 yards comfortably in to the hands of Button.

But with Brentford willing to attack, Karanka spotted a chance to turn up the heat by asking his full-backs to operate more as wingers. So when Downing’s crossfield pass towards the corner flag picked out right-back Emilio Nsue, Middlesbrough had an extra man. Nsue, one of three changes from the weekend, immediately spotted Diego Fabbrini heading his way and rolled a pass to him. The Italian darted in to the area, delivered a low centre and Stuani arrived to turn a finish in off the far post ten minutes before half-time. It was the first half breakthrough Middlesbrough wanted to try to avoid a repeat of the late show of Saturday, although Brentford should have levelled before half-time when Marco Djuricin missed the target from inside the box after a shot on the turn following Maxime Colin’s probing run in to the box.

But shortly after the restart they found themselves pegged back again anyway because of Konstantopoulos’ error. The Greek will remember his mistake in the play-off semi-final first leg against the Bees, and they stung him again four months on from that night at Griffin Park.

When a long ball took a deflection off Ayala and bounced towards the keeper, Konstantopoulos had plenty of time; in fact he probably had too much time.

Rather than pick up or instinctively clear by putting his foot through it, he tried to take a touch and it bounced off his leg invitingly for Danish forward Vibe to nip in and slot the equaliser beneath him.

That spurred Middlesbrough, who brought on Adomah much to the delight of the home fans, back to life and eventually regained the lead 20 minutes later. The Ghanaian winger, fed by Nsue, sent over a teasing cross and Stuani got beyond his man to convert from four yards out. And, while Djuricin should have scored an almost identical chance immediately after, Middlesbrough were indebted to a fantastic save from Konstantopoulos when he raced out to deny Konstantin Kerschbaumer as he was through on goal.

That paved the way for Adomah’s big moment. When Nugent played a perfectly weighted pass in to his path, Adomah charged in to the area and fired an unstoppable drive inside the far corner to power Middlesbrough to three points.