TONY PULIS hailed Daniel Ayala’s powers of recovery as the Middlesbrough centre-half shrugged off a painful groin problem to help his side claim a 1-1 draw at Brentford.

Ayala could barely walk at the start of the week, and had to go to hospital to ascertain the extent of the damage to his groin.

At that stage, it was assumed he would have no chance of lining up at Griffin Park, and he was unable to take part in training prior to Friday.

However, he travelled to London with the rest of the squad, and insisted he wanted to be involved in Boro’s game against the Bees.

He only lasted an hour before he was replaced by Dael Fry, but his efforts helped Boro claim the point that keeps them in the play-off positions heading into the international break.

“It was unbelievable from Dani,” said Boro boss Pulis. “We didn’t think he was going to play, we thought he had no chance. But he’s worked his socks off to get fit – he’s done a lot of work in the swimming pool – and I thought he was superb in the first half.

“There were one or two situations that he dealt with fantastically well. He’s a rock for us, and I was really, really pleased that he had a go. Then when Dael came on, I was pleased with him as well. I thought he did really well too.”

Boro claimed a first-half lead as Adama Traore drilled home from the edge of the area, but Brentford levelled when Lewis Macleod fired home after his initial shot had been blocked by Daniel Ayala.

Darren Randolph made an excellent second-half save from Romaine Sawyers to ensure Boro did not concede for a second time, and Brentford finished with ten men after Sawyers was dismissed for a second yellow card – both of which were awarded for fouls on Traore – in stoppage time.

“I didn’t think we were at our best today, and I didn’t think we played as well as we can,” said Pulis. “Having taken the lead, you would have hoped that we would have moved on from there, but you have to give Brentford credit.

“It’s a tough place to come and they’ve got a decent side. We’ve ended up grinding out a 1-1. At the end, you were thinking we might even nick it, but I’m pleased with the point and pleased we’ve kept the run going.

“They’ve got one of the best home records in the league. They’re bright, they’ve got good movement and I thought we restricted them well. They didn’t have too many clear-cut chances. They had shots from the edge of the box that Darren dealt with quite comfortably. The only disappointment is that we didn’t really commit ourselves forward as well as we can.”