Middlesbrough avoided an FA Cup banana skin as a curled free kick from Grant Leadbitter, a bizarre piece of opportunism from Alvaro Negredo and a sweet strike from Marten De Roon saw them beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0.
After a dire first half, Premier League Boro improved after the break and took the lead when captain Leadbitter swung an excellent set piece past Wednesday keeper Joe Wildsmith, but suffered a setback when Daniel Ayala got a straight red moments later.
Wildsmith was embarrassed when Negredo charged down his clearance, the rebound going in for Boro's second, before Marten de Roon made it three in stoppage time with a left footed strike high into the net from 16 yards.