Chastising evening as Middlesbrough exit the Carabao Cup after 4-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers

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Middlesbrough’s Carabao Cup campaign ended at the first hurdle on a chastising evening at the Riverside, as fringe men struggled to make their case.

Beaten 4-0 by League One high-flyers Doncaster Rovers, Boro couldn’t match the fight of their opponents and were resoundingly beaten after a really poor performance. The number of Boro changes couldn’t even be blamed, with the visitors changing their entire 11, in a really worrying sign for Rob Edwards in regard to his squad depth.

In a statement of intent, Edwards named a strong Middlesbrough team for the game, with six of Saturday’s starters retaining their place in the side, including the front three. That meant five changes, with Tom Glover, Neto Borges, Law McCabe, Abdoulaye Kante and George McCormick all coming into the starting lineup.

With that in mind, the Boro boss would have hoping for far better than he got from his side in the first half. They went in two behind at the interval after a really poor 30 minutes at the Riverside where they struggled to match the physicality of the visitors.

While they started well enough to establish an early control, they were struggling to progress up the pitch, with the strength of the defenders ultimately too much for the Boro forward three. It just wasn’t sticking. Sensing blood, the visitors stepped up their press and were rewarded.

Some lackadaisical football from Boro in their own half eventually saw Borges hurried into a clearance that fell straight to the path of an opposition player. Breaking with precision, the ball fell kindly in the box for veteran Billy Sharp, who laid it off to Ben Close. McCormick was unlucky as he tried to deflected the shot ahead of Glover but instead deflected it away from the keeper and into his own net.

Boro initially responded well to falling behind. Delano Burgzorg was played in behind by Morgan Whittaker but smashed his effort against the post. Moments later, Whittaker got the chance for a trademark effort which Ian Lawlor did well to turn around his post.

Largely though, the same problems were existing. Kante tried to cover every blade but McCabe was struggling to get to grips with it and Boro’s balls into the forwards weren’t crisp enough. In particular, Conway struggled to make it stick as centre-back John McGrath looked twice the size of him.

Boro were two behind midway through the first half. In similarly unfortunate circumstances to the first in the end, they were beforehand played through far too easily before captain for the evening Alfie Jones found himself turning Damola Ajayi’s back post effort into his own net.

Edwards cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as he remonstrated with his players. Around the half hour mark he made a slight tactical tweak at Whittaker moved into a more central ten role, while Burgzorg joined Conway as a striker. It at least helped Boro start to get to grips with the game, but Burgzorg’s decent effort from the edge that was well-saved in first-half stoppage time was as much as they mustered towards getting back into it before the break.

Immediately there was more intent from Boro at the start of the second half, no doubt after some choice words from the boss at the interval. Five minutes in, a crisper pass into Conway’s feet allowed him to turn and drive towards the box. As it opened up for Callum Brittain to his right, Conway’s ball lacked quality and it meant Brittain’s effort came from a much narrower angle than it might have.

It was a positive start to the second half though and it was quickly followed by two Whittaker chances as he drove one from range just off target before being played through by Burgzorg only for the impressive Lawlor to rush off his line quickly enough to narrow the angle and make the stop.

Edwards made changes on the hour mark as he tried to help his side find a way back into the side. Younger duo McCormick and Kante were sacrificed alongside Conway to protect him for Saturday. Dael Fry, Aidan Morris and Hayden Hackney were on, and the difference in tempo was immediately clear from Boro.

Despite that, there was a third goal late on in this one, and it only served to make it a worse evening for Edwards. Robbie Gotts given too much space from 25 yards, seemingly because there seemed so little danger. His effort was well-placed into the bottom corner but should have lacked the pace to beat Glover. The Boro keeper far too slow down to it.

A chastising evening was cemented in seventh of ten added minutes that neither side really wanted. Tom Nixon will be grateful though, as he was handed the freedom of Middlesbrough inside the penalty area to round off an excellent performance for the South Yorkshire side.

This ultimately served as a bit of an eye-opener for Boro. It was also another reminder of their lack of depth. Though only five changes were made, there was enough taken from the spine to really derail all the positives Boro showed at the weekend against Swansea. Many fringe men ultimately didn’t grasp the opportunity - which, it’s only fair to point out, came against a Doncaster side who made 11 changes.

‘How s*** must you be, this is our second team’, sang the visiting Donny supporters after the second goal. There was understandable boos from the home fans who'd bothered to stay for full-time. Concern moving forward for Edwards with regard to many of the men he has in backup.

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