Mark Warburton’s residence at Griffin Park ended in Championship play-off semi-final defeat, but the boss says it is only half-time.

The Bees went down 2-1 to Middlesbrough in the first leg tonight, giving the Teeside outfit the slimmest of advantages going into the second leg on Friday.

Jelle Vossen was left unmarked to nod Boro ahead in the first half, before Andre Gray made the most of a Dimitrios Konstanopoulos clanger to haul the Bees level after the break.

However, deep into injury time Fernando Amorebieta’s drive on the turn was deflected past David Button leaving Warburton with a job to do at the Riverside stadium.

He said: “We were laborious in our passing in the first half, but we were much better in the second, and we did enough to say we can go to Middlesbrough and give a good account of ourselves.

“The game was more open in the second half, perhaps too open, and we moved the ball well and we created chances. We need to be more clinical in front of goal, but we will create chances up there.”

He added: “It was frustrating to concede at the end, but we have to defend better from corners, we need to pick up the first ball and get to the second ball.

“But now we know that our job is to go there and win, and if we don’t think we can, then there is no point. Remember, it is 2-1 at half-time.”