RESULT!
But Boro had Uruguay striker Cristhian Stuani to thank – who scored minutes after his introduction as a substitute had been booed by home fans unhappy to see Adama Traore replaced. Stuani struck four minutes from the end after League One Oxford, who had knocked out Championship big guns Newcastle in the previous round, staged a storming fightback from a 2-0 interval deficit. Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood, who saved a penalty from Toon’s Aleksandar Mitrovic in the 3-0 home triumph over the Magpies, had no answer to Boro skipper Grant Leadbitter’s thumping spot-kick in the 26th minute. Striker Rudy Gestede then scored his first Boro goal on his second start for the club since his £6million move from Aston Villa last month to extend the lead in the 34th minute. But Oxford refused to lie down and stunned Boro with two goals in a minute after the break. Chris Maguire, who gave away the penalty with a foul on Stewart Downing, came up with a cracking free-kick after 64 minutes. And he had a hand when Toni Martinez – signed on loan from West Ham last month – grabbed the leveller to the delight of the travelling fans. Boro boss Aitor Karanka was shaking his head in disbelief but his Premier League strugglers – without a top-flight win for two months – snatched victory four minutes from time. Fabio crossed from the left and Stuani netted at the far post after fellow substitute Alvaro Negredo appeared to help the ball on. Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez paid the price for making NINE changes to his side for the Kassam Stadium embarrassment. Boro’s Karanka contented himself with just the six changes to the line-up that started the goalless draw with Everton a week earlier. After Tuesday’s 2-0 home defeat by Southend ended a run of five wins in league and cup, Oxford recalled striker Kane Hemmings, whose goal against Newcastle was one of five he had scored in the competition this season. Backed by more than 3,000 travelling fans, Oxford gave Boro a second-minute scare. Eastwood saw his scuffed clearance fall to a yellow rather than a red shirt and when Ryan Ledson helped the ball forward, Martinez turned central defender Bernardo Espinosa all too easily, but could not beat Brad Guzan. Boro won a free-kick four minutes later and from Leadbitter’s delivery, Gestede could only manage a timid header that was easily dealt with by Eastwood. Visiting keeper Eastwood was a familiar face to Boro after producing two outstanding displays against them in his Blackburn days. In fact he was so good in those displays that then-Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer said in a tongue-in-cheek exchange that Karanka had offered him £200million for the goalkeeper. Viktor Fischer then had a shot blocked for Boro and in their next attack the Dane laid the ball off for Leadbitter, whose chip clipped the top of the bar with Eastwood backpedalling.
Shaken from their slumbers Boro responded in determined fashion with Fischer and Traore prospering out wide and Leadbitter and Downing linking midfield with attack.
Boro saw another opportunity elude them in the 23rd minute when Gestede held the ball up around the box and found Leadbitter – among the goals in the 3-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday in round three – who dragged his shot wide.
But they deservedly took the lead soon afterwards following a flowing move. Gestede broke down the right and centred for Leadbitter, who swept the ball on to Downing.
Maguire then bundled over the Boro playmaker and Leadbitter stepped up to hit a howitzer of a spot-kick into Eastwood’s top right-hand corner.
Maguire thought he had made amends after 32 minutes when his cross-shot beat Guzan but referee Andre Marriner ruled it out for a foul by Hemmings on Bernardo.
And Boro doubled their advantage when Fabio crossed from the left and Traore helped the ball on, a deflection taking it to Gestede who finished with a clever bicycle kick.
In a breathless tie, Eastwood made a fine one-handed stop to deny Downing before Guzan was tested at the other end by Maguire’s dangerously dipping free-kick.
Boro endured an anxious moment close to the hour mark when O x f ord skipper Lundstram crossed and Ayala scrambled the ball behind with Mart i n e z lurking.
Boro were then punished for a foul on the edge of the area and Maguire curled a free-kick only just out of Guzan’s reach.
The comeback was complete when Guzan stopped Maguire’s shot one-handed and Martinez fired in the loose ball – but Stuani had the last word.