Middlesbrough 0 Blackburn Rovers 1: Andreas Weimann goal dumps Boro out of FA Cup

Weimann made amends for missing an open goal as he drilled home from the heart of the penalty area to ensure his side repeated their league win at the Riverside from earlier this season.

Michael Carrick made seven changes to his Middlesbrough side, with John Eustace opting for five alterations to his Blackburn line-up.

With so much reshuffling, perhaps it should have come as no surprise that both teams took a fair amount of time to settle.

It was the 33rd minute before either side even attempted an effort at goal – and a tame one at that, with Riley McGree pulling a shot wide of a post after cutting in from the left.

Blackburn’s first sight of goal came a couple of minutes later, Weimann latching on to Joe Rankin-Costello’s through-ball but sending his chipped shot wide.

Weimann was the visitors’ main creator and he almost set up an opener for his side three minutes before the break.

The Austrian picked out Harry Leonard with a cross from the left, but from eight yards out the striker fired a first-time volley against the crossbar.

Leonard headed another Weimann cross over the top at the start of the second half before Middlesbrough finally forced Balazs Toth into his first save, with the Blackburn goalkeeper tipping over Alex Gilbert’s dipping half-volley.

Blackburn were on top by that stage, though, and, while Weimann missed a glorious opportunity when he lofted over an open goal after charging down Tom Glover’s clearance, the forward made amends just a minute later.

A sliding Matt Clarke cut out a cross from the left, but the ball fell invitingly for Weimann, who hammered home from 12 yards.