Marvellous Maguire still ends up a loser
Few players had a greater influence on a fifth-round tie this weekend than Chris Maguire, yet ultimately the Scotland forward will see his name further down the weekend’s FA Cup roll of honour than it perhaps ought to be.
That is down to Oxford coming up agonisingly short in a comeback that was as stirring as it was unexpected, as the Riverside Stadium was treated to the kind of thrill-aminute entertainment that has been sadly lacking this season.
Middlesbrough continue to lead a double life, the cup providing welcome respite from their increasingly grim struggle for Premier League survival. Not that serial pragmatist Aitor Karanka could ever be described as throwing off the shackles, but three goals for his side on a day of rare drama was as many as the division’s lowest scorers have managed in the last 12 hours’ top-flight football over two winless months.
Where home wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Accrington in the previous two rounds had been routine, this was anything but. Maguire led an astonishing Oxford onslaught as a two-goal deficit was wiped out in the space of two minutes midway through the second half.
The former Sheffield Wednesday forward curled home a memorable 20-yard free-kick for his 13th goal of the season before Toni Martínez mopped up the rebound after Maguire’s shot was saved by Brad Guzan. Only three Premier League sides have scored more against the Teessiders in a game this season.
“It was quite an afternoon,” said Maguire, who is at the eighth club of an 11-season career. “Quite an afternoon” did not begin to sum it up for the 28-year-old, who conceded an early penalty, converted by Grant Leadbitter, before having an effort ruled out for a push by Kane Hemmings shortly before Rudy Gestede doubled the hosts’ lead with an acrobatic close-range volley.
Such was his ubiquity, it was a surprise not to see Maguire conducting the half-time draw, but he ended on the losing side thanks to a late poacher’s goal from substitute Cristhian Stuani. It was extremely harsh on Michael Appleton’s side.
Maguire said: “When we equalised everyone in the stadium would have thought there was only going to be one outcome. That would be us winning, never mind not even ending up with a draw.”
While Oxford return to their pursuit of a League One play-off berth and a place in the EFL Trophy final, it is back to trying to stay out of the bottom three for Middlesbrough, who travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday. They were relegated after their most recent appearance in the sixth round, in 2009, but Karanka remains convinced progression this time will not prove a hindrance.
Intriguingly, their presence in the last eight means the rescheduling of the potentially pivotal derby visit of Sunderland. Fabio Da Silva, Middlesbrough’s Brazilian defender, said: “You always gain confidence from winning, no matter what the competition. It can only boost us ahead of Palace and give us a feelgood factor for the games ahead.”