OXFORD United sensationally fought back to level from two goals down but their Emirates FA Cup run was ended in the fifth round by Cristhian Stuani’s late tap-in.

Hosts Middlesbrough appeared to be heading through without much fuss when they reached the interval 2-0 up.

Grant Leadbitter’s penalty opened the scoring and Rudy Gestede doubled the lead, although in-between the goals Chris Maguire had an equaliser harshly ruled out.

But Michael Appleton’s men showed terrific heart in the second half as they attacked towards their 3,376 travelling fans.

Maguire pulled one goal back with a free-kick and within two minutes Toni Martinez levelled.

A terrific cup tie was in the balance, but the late goal came for the home side, who reached the quarter-finals thanks to Stuani’s close-range finish.

It was a heartbreaking finish for the U’s, but they can be hugely proud of the run to the last-16.

Top scorer Kane Hemmings came into the side at the expense of Liam Sercombe in the only alteration from United’s midweek defeat to Southend United.

Middlesbrough made six changes, but with the likes of Stewart Downing and Gestede coming into the side it was hard to call it weakened.

The U’s will have gone into the game looking to keep the opening exchanges tight, but instead they created a glorious chance in only the second minute.

Martinez turned a hopeful ball forward into something more dangerous as he outmuscled and then out-paced Bernardo. He had Hemmings screaming for a pass, but the West Ham loanee opted to fire a shot which Brad Guzan parried.

While scoring goals has been Middlesbrough’s big problem in the Premier League, here their movement caused problems.

Gestede was allowed a free header from Leadbitter’s fifth minute free-kick, which Simon Eastwood saved.

Leadbitter then clipped the top of the crossbar with a delicate chip, while at the other end Chey Dunkley headed a Maguire free-kick down to Martinez, who could not keep his overhead kick down.

Downing and Leadbitter fired efforts wide, but as the half reached the 25-minute mark United looked to be getting a grip on the game.

However, Boro were a real threat on the break and when a U’s move broke down they sprung forward.

With their defence exposed Maguire sprinted back, but Downing was too quick for him and the Scot fouled the former England international in the box.

Eastwood had saved a penalty against Newcastle United in the previous round, but Leadbitter powered his spot-kick high to the goalkeeper’s right to open the scoring.

The visitors, backed by their magnificent support, thought they had equalised five minutes later.

Maguire cut in from the right flank and his left-footed cross beat everyone and nestled in the far corner of Guzan’s net. The celebrations lasted a couple of seconds, before referee Andre Marriner blew to harshly penalise Hemmings for a foul on Bernardo.

If it looked a big call at the time, three minutes later it was enormous.

Marvin Johnson thought Fabio da Silva’s deep cross was going to beat everyone, but the pacy Adama Traore reached the ball and flicked it back for Gestede to acrobatically thump in from eight yards.

Oxford Mail:

  • Rudy Gestede celebrates putting Middlesbrough 2-0 ahead

It was a body blow for United, especially as it was so preventable.

The visitors, though, did finish the half with a decent spell which saw Rob Hall and Johnson fouled on the edge of the box in quick succession.

Maguire took both set pieces, seeing one blocked and the other saved by Guzan.

United had seen enough to know they could create chances.

And with Middlesbrough increasingly sloppy after the break, the visitors got on top for the first time in the game after the break.

Steadily they saw more of the ball and came close to pulling a goal back just before the hour, when Martinez’s shot from John Lundstram’s cross was deflected wide.

But the pressure was growing on Boro, who began to lose their discipline and astonishingly United were level within two minutes.

One corner was headed out to Phil Edwards, who was shoved by Traore three yards outside the box.

Maguire assumed the free-kick duties again – and this time his chipped effort could not be kept out by Guzan.

The forward raced to the away fans, who had exploded in delight.

Oxford Mail:

  • Chris Maguire (far right) watches on as his free-kick flies past goalkeeper Brad Guzan

Remarkably, within the blink of an eye it was 2-2.

Hall played in Maguire, whose shot was parried by Guzan into the six-yard box, where Martinez rammed a shot into the net.

Boro were rocking and within a minute substitute Conor McAleny came close to a third goal from Hall’s cross.

Gaston Ramirez and Stuani, both Uruguay internationals, provided the cavalry from the hosts’ bench.

It was now a terrific cup tie, with both sides keen to avoid a replay throwing everything into finding a winner.

McAleny dragged a shot wide as time ticked into the final five minutes.

But there was a sting in the tale for the visitors, who conceded four minutes from time.

Substitute Alvaro Negredo ensured Curties Nelson could not deal with Fabio’s cross, which fell kindly at the back post to Stuani, who poked in.

United appealed in vain for an offside flag, but replays showed the goal was legitimate.

Although the visitors pushed in five minutes of stoppage time, they could not carve out a good chance for an equaliser and bowed out of the cup.

Middlesbrough (4-1-4-1): Guzan, Chambers, Bernardo, Ayala, Fabio, Clayton, Traore (Ramirez 72), Leadbitter, Fischer (Stuani 72), Downing, Gestede (Negredo 86).

Unused subs: Valdes, Gibson, de Roon, Bamford.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Johnson, Maguire, Lundstram, Ledson, Hall, Hemmings, Martinez.

Subs used: McAleny (Hemmings 63), Sercombe (Martinez 84).

Unused subs: Agboola, Skarz, Raglan, Ruffels, Rothwell.

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).

Attendance: 28,198 (3,376 visitors).