MIDDLESBROUGH’S FA Cup hopes were shattered as they crashed to a surprise 2-1 defeat to Burnley despite dominating for large spells of their third-round tie at the Riverside.

Boro were the better side for the majority of the game, and looked to be heading to round four when Diego Fabbrini’s close-range strike gave them a deserved lead before the interval.

However, Rouwen Hennings equalised with Burnley’s first effort at goal in first-half stoppage time, and despite being on the back foot for the majority of the second half, the visitors claimed a winner when Stephen Ward volleyed home in the 72nd minute.

The defeat, which was Boro’s first since they lost to Everton in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup, was harsh on the home side, but at least they can focus all their attention in the remainder of the season on attempting to hold on to their place in the Championship’s top two.

Aitor Karanka was always going to make a host of changes with league games against Brentford and Bristol City coming up in the next seven days, but even though the Boro boss left out seven members of the side that started last weekend’s 2-0 win over Derby, his selection could hardly have been described as ‘weak’.

The return of the likes of Tomas Kalas, Adam Forshaw, Diego Fabbrini and David Nugent underlined the strength of the squad Karanka has assembled at the Riverside. If most Championship sides were able to name Boro’s much-changed line-up for their next league game, they would be absolutely delighted.

The strength of Boro’s resources was certainly apparent in their first half display, although the interval somehow arrived with Burnley on level terms.

The hosts should have been out of sight at the break, such was the extent of their superiority, but they wasted a host of chances despite dominating possession.

Fabbrini shot wide in only the second minute, and the Italian was heavily involved again ten minutes later, setting up Carlos de Pena for an effort that was easily saved by Tom Heaton.

Albert Adomah saw a shot deflected wide midway through the first half, and it looked as though Boro might be in for a frustrating afternoon when David Nugent spurned a golden opportunity in the 27th minute.

Fernando Amorebieta headed Heaton’s clearance straight back over the heads of the Burnley defence, but while Nugent found himself with a clear run on goal, he blasted a poor shot straight at Heaton when he should really have lobbed the advancing goalkeeper and found an empty net.

It seemed remarkable that Boro were not ahead at that stage, but they finally made the breakthrough nine minutes before the interval after a spell of pinball in the Burnley penalty area.

Nugent’s shot from the edge of the six-yard box was blocked, George Friend drilled in the rebound to force a superb save from Heaton, and Fabbrini reacted quickest to stab home from close range.

Boro came close to doubling their lead when de Pena headed a Nugent cross over the crossbar, but having offered nothing at all as an attacking force for the whole of the opening 45 minutes, Burnley somehow fashioned an equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Sam Vokes swung over an inviting cross from the right, and with the Teessiders’ defence having switched off, Rouwen Hennings was completely unmarked as he slid home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Burnley did not deserve to be level at the break, but the goal appeared to energise Sean Dyche’s side and they carried much more threat at the start of the second half.

Even so, Boro remained the likelier scorers, and Fabbrini forced another decent save from Heaton when he drilled in a low effort shortly after the break.

Karanka was forced into a defensive reshuffle when a hobbling Amorebieta was replaced by Emilio Nsue – Kalas moved across to slot in at centre-half – and while Boro continued to press, Heaton continued to keep them at bay.

The Burnley goalkeeper made his best save of the game on the hour mark, hurling himself to his right to keep out Adomah’s angled effort after the winger had driven into the right-hand side of the box.

Adomah’s approach play was far too good for the Burnley defence all afternoon, and he would have set up a second Boro goal midway through the second half had it not been for some dreadful finishing from Forshaw.

The midfielder was completely unmarked as he met Adomah’s cross ten yards out, but he directed a really poor header well wide of the post.

Even so, Boro continued to look the dominant force, yet just as had been the case in the first half, they conceded as Burnley scored a second goal from nothing.

The visitors swung over a corner from the right, and while George Boyd’s initial effort was blocked, Stephen Ward swivelled in the area to hook a superb volleyed finish past Tomas Mejias.

 

Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Mejias; Kalas, Amorebieta (Nsue 54), Ayala, Friend; Clayton, Forshaw; Adomah, Fabbrini (Kike 76), de Pena (Stuani 76); Nugent.

Subs (not used): Agazzi (gk), Gibson, Leadbitter, Downing.

 

Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton; Darikwa, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Jones (Barton 77), Ulvestad, Kightly (Arfield 69); Vokes (Long 90), Hennings.

Subs (not used): Gilks (gk), Lowton, Taylor, Anderson.