It was a frustrating and disappointing afternoon for Middlesbrough fans on Saturday, as their side conceded two goals in the final 20 minutes at home to Brentford - a team who had only won once away from home all season.

Despite the defeat, there are still plenty of reasons for Boro fans to be optimistic about their chances of returning to the Premier League.

After all, Tony Pulis' side are still in a good position in the Championship table and with ten games to go, they remain inside the play-off places and there is no doubt that the players have the mental capacity to bounce back from two disappointing results.

However, it is imperative they do so quickly as Boro now face three difficult fixtures that will severely test their ability to remain in the top six and could potentially define their season.

This run starts tomorrow night with the visit of Preston North End, who will come to the Riverside in the middle of a remarkable ten-match unbeaten run which has seen them climb to within just four points of the play-off places.

This is followed by a crucial game against Aston Villa on Saturday, who will also fancy their chances of making the top six, before league leaders Norwich City visit the Riverside after the international break.

These three games could be so crucial in deciding who finishes in the top six come May and one thing that must improve if Boro are to stay there is their home form - it has been far too inconsistent.

Boro fans will also be hoping for more from their leading scorer Britt Assombalonga, who has only managed one goal in his last six league appearances.

The striker will no doubt be disappointed with Pulis' decision to substitute him with Boro leading 1-0 on Saturday, in a tactical switch that backfired as Brentford scored two goals in three-second half minutes to take all three points.

However, he is an experienced player who, like his teammates, must put the weekend's result behind him and mentally prepare for Preston in what promises to be a tightly contested game.

If the players fail to prepare, with three big games on the horizon, Boro's chances of making the play-offs could be in serious jeopardy.