MIDDLESBROUGH made it into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2008 – but had to survive a mighty second-half scare to see off spirited opposition from League One Oxford United.

The Teessiders looked to be coasting into the last eight when they secured a two-goal lead before the interval thanks to goals from Grant Leadbitter, who scored from the penalty spot, and Rudy Gestede, who volleyed home his first goal in a Boro shirt.

However, the game changed dramatically when Oxford scored two goals in the space of 60 seconds shortly after the hour mark, with Chris Maguire and Antonio Martinez making the most of some sloppy Boro defending.

Oxford pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but Boro retained their composure and Aitor Karanka’s substitutions proved key. Alvaro Negredo teed up fellow replacement Cristhian Stuani with four minutes left, and the Uruguayan swept home a close-range finish to send his side into the last eight.

As things stand, Middlesbrough, Lincoln City and Millwall are the only teams guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals, with Chelsea due to take on Wolves in this evening’s game.

Karanka made six changes to the side that drew with Everton last weekend, but the Boro head coach was still able to name a strong line-up against an Oxford side that had disposed of Newcastle United in the previous round.

He also shuffled his formation to give Leadbitter more of an attacking-midfield role alongside Stewart Downing, and the ploy worked a treat as Boro dominated the opening 45 minutes to claim a two-goal lead before the interval.

Whereas Burnley had come unstuck against non-leaguers Lincoln City earlier in the day, Boro’s attitude in the opening 45 minutes suggested they were determined to avoid a similar upset.

Oxford started surprisingly slowly, although the first half might have panned out differently had Martinez not wasted a great opportunity in the second minute. The Oxford striker, who is on loan from West Ham, successfully spun past Bernardo Espinosa before advancing into the area, but his low shot was straight at Brad Guzan, enabling the goalkeeper to make a save.

Boro assumed control from that point onwards, and with both Adama Traore and Viktor Fischer seeing plenty of the ball in the wide positions, it did not take long for chances to come.

Gestede went close with a close-range header in the sixth minute, and Leadbitter clipped the top of the crossbar moments later as he produced a deft chip over goalkeeper Simon Eastwood following a pull-back from Fischer.

Downing whistled a long-range effort just past the post as Boro continued to dominate, and while Eastwood saved from Calum Chambers midway through the first half, the Oxford keeper was powerless to prevent Boro claiming the lead from the spot in the 26th minute.

Leadbitter helped win the penalty, laying the ball off to Downing, who was clumsily barged over by Maguire, and the Boro skipper converted it too, calmly slamming a shot into the roof of the net.

Oxford had the ball in the net moments later, but the effort was rightly ruled out for a foul. Maguire’s long-range cross-shot beat Guzan, but only because Kane Hemmings had shoved over Bernardo in the heart of the penalty area.

Boro doubled their lead 11 minutes before the break, with Gestede claiming his first goal since his £6m January move from Blackburn.

Fabio crossed from the left-hand post, Traore’s knock-down deflected off Curtis Nelson, and Gestede swivelled impressively to hook an acrobatic first-time volley past Eastwood.

Downing almost added a third goal before half-time – his well-struck effort was turned around the post – and Boro came close again two minutes after the interval when Fischer’s front-post shot was deflected wide following good work on the right-hand side from Traore.

However, having dominated the first half, Boro found themselves gradually pegged back in the second. There was a scare on the hour mark when Hemmings narrowly failed to meet Robert Hall’s low cross from the right, and Oxford turned the game on its head with two goals in the space of 60 seconds shortly after.

Both goals featured Middlesbrough mistakes, with Traore committing the first as he senselessly barged over Phil Edwards on the edge of his own penalty area. Maguire stepped up to take the free-kick, and lifted a superb chip over the wall and into the net.

Boro were shell-shocked, and worse was to come less than a minute later. Adam Clayton gave the ball cheaply at the heart of midfield, and while Guzan saved Maguire’s shot from the corner of the area, Martinez reacted quickest to slam home the rebound.

Suddenly, it was Oxford doing all of the running, and with Bernardo and Ayala looking increasingly uncertain, the League One side spent the next quarter of an hour pushing for a winner.

They almost found one with five minutes left, but substitute Conor McAleny whistled a low shot just past the post.

It was a crucial moment, as less than 60 seconds later, Stuani was slotting home the winning goal at the opposite end.

Negredo flicked Fabio Da Silva’s cross into Stuani’s path as he tumbled to the floor, and the Uruguayan made no mistake as he slotted home from inside the six-yard box.

Middlesbrough (4-1-4-1): Guzan, Chambers, Bernardo, Ayala, Fabio, Clayton, Traore (Stuani 71), Leadbitter, Downing, Fischer (Ramirez 71), Gestede (Negredo 86).

Subs (not used): Valdes, Gibson, de Roon, Bamford.

Oxford (4-4-1-1): Eastwood; Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Johnson, Hall, Lundstram, Ledson, Maguire, Hemmings (McAleny 64), Martinez (Sercombe 85).

Subs (not used): Agboola, Skarz, Ruffels, Rothwell, Raglan.