Boro survive Exeter scare to make quarter-finals

Championship side Middlesbrough reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a thrilling win at League One Exeter.

But Morgan Rogers’ curling effort drew Boro level after the break and Samuel Silvera fired them ahead soon after.

Trevitt scored another long-range goal to bring Exeter level before giving away a late penalty that Emmanuel Latte Lath converted to put Boro through.

The win ended Exeter’s hopes of a first EFL Cup quarter-final appearance as they bowed out in the last 16 for the fifth time in the club’s history.

Boro made seven changes from the side that lost to Stoke City at the weekend and they dominated the possession from the off with Exeter getting bodies behind the ball as they did in the last round when they beat Premier League side Luton Town.

But unlike the last round Exeter fans did not have to wait until the final minutes to celebrate a goal as on-loan Brentford midfielder Trevitt fired in off the underside of the bar after good work down the right by Kyle Taylor.

Rogers, Dael Fry, Silvera and Anfernee Dijksteel all spurned half-decent chances in the following 15 minutes as Boro continued to keep hold of the ball.

Silvera forced the first decent save from Exeter keeper Vil Sinisalo in first-half stoppage time but Boro were left frustrated at the break.

However, the visitors came out for the second half with a new-found impetus and it took just a couple of minutes for them to level the tie as Alex Bangura dispossessed Jack Fitzwater in the box – leaving the City defender down injured – and Silvera superbly curled home.

The goal gave Boro an attacking foundation, forcing Exeter deeper and deeper as the League One side desperately fought to keep the scores level.

But they fell behind when Silvera got past Vince Harper on the left and curled a low right-footed effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Silvera saw another effort fly just over three minutes later before Trevitt’s equaliser from just outside the box found the top corner after good work by Harry Kite.

But the 20-year-old’s night took a turn for the worse when he tugged on Rogers’ shirt as Exeter tried to clear the ball from the penalty area and Latte Lath sent Sinisalo the wrong way to put Boro into the last eight.