MIDDLESBROUGH will face Brentford in the Championship play-offs after Aitor Karanka’s side laboured to a 0-0 draw against Brighton.
The Bees’ 3-0 win at home to Wigan Athletic propelled Mark Warburton’s side to fifth place, with Boro dropping below Norwich to finish fourth, after the Canaries saw off Fulham 4-2.
Norwich will face Ipswich Town in the second semi-final, which will mean that Boro travel to Griffin Park on Friday night with the Norwich-Ipswich game taking place on the Saturday lunchtime.
The return fixture at the Riverside takes place on Friday, May 15.
Middlesbrough disappointed on a dull afternoon in front of a full house at the Riverside Stadium, and with neither side putting up much of an effort in a game played at a pre-season pace, a draw seemed the fairest result.
Tickets for Boro's first play-off game go on sale through the club tomorrow at 10am.
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Konstantopoulos; Tiendalli (Nsue 59), Gibson, Ayala, Amorebieta; Clayton, Leadbitter; Adomah, Forshaw (Vossen 59), Tomlin (Reach 73); Kike. Subs: Ripley, Whitehead, Carayol, Omeruo,.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION (4-5-1): Walton; Halford, Greer, Dunk, Bennett; LuaLua, Stephens, Kayal, Ince (Calderon 79) Forster-Caskey (Tilley 90); O'Grady (Mackail-Smith 72). Subs: Stockdale, Bruno, Best, Holla.
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