Oxford United 2-6 Middlesbrough: Emmanuel Latte Lath scores hat-trick in emphatic Boro win

Emmanuel Latte Lath netted a 12-minute hat-trick as Middlesbrough hammered Oxford 6-2 at the Kassam Stadium, with Finn Azaz scoring two and making two.

It came after a stunning first-half turnaround from Boro after falling behind in the 24th minute - with Ivory Coast international Latte Lath at the heart of it.

Greg Leigh fired the U's in front but three goals in eight minutes before the break turned the match on its head to see Boro suddenly 3-1 up.

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Jamaica international Leigh scored from 12 yards at a corner when Elliott Moore turned the ball back from the far post.

Middlesbrough levelled in the 37th minute when Latte Lath converted a penalty after Ben Doak was tripped on the byline by Moore, who was booked for the rash challenge.

Azaz put Boro in front five minutes later, shooting right-footed into the bottom-left corner from 15 yards from Latte Lath's pass.

The visitors completed their quickfire turnaround on the stroke of half-time as the pacy Latte Lath broke Oxford's offside trap, running onto Azaz's pass to beat goalkeeper Jamie Cumming.

Azaz was provider once more four minutes into the second half when Latte Lath drilled a left-footed shot between Cumming and his near post for his seventh goal of the season to complete his hat-trick.

Substitute Dane Scarlett pulled a second goal back with a low shot in the 72nd minute.

But Boro then went up a gear again and Tommy Conway struck a fifth goal with a low right-footed shot from 20 yards before the classy Azaz curled in number six seven minutes from time to complete the rout.

The U's had welcomed back from injury midfielder Cameron Brannagan for the first time since September and he clipped the crossbar with an angled drive in the second half.

Boro's win came despite them being without USA midfielder Aidan Morris, who sustained a twisted knee while on international duty ahead of their match against Jamaica.

A slick combination between Delano Burgzorg and Latte Lath almost brought Middlesbrough an early opening but Cumming reacted brilliantly to turn the latter's close-range effort around the post.

With the wet and windy conditions, made even more testing by one end of the Kassam Stadium being open, Oxford made use of Will Vaulks' long throw ability.

It was from one of these that the U's forced a corner from which Leigh struck the opening goal.

However, United struggled to handle the pacy of Middlesbrough's forwards, especially Latte Lath in the middle and Doak on the right.

It is the first time since 1947 that Middlesbrough have scored four goals or more in three consecutive league games.

The managers

Oxford's Des Buckingham:

"I thought we started the game extremely well, were very compact and difficult to break down, and got a well-worked goal to go one up.

"But they then showed after 35 or so minutes, when they got their goal, what they're capable of.

"We had a really big chance with Mark Harris to go around the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 and then a couple of minutes later they punish you and hit us with two very quick goals just before half-time which showed the quality they have.

"That changed the outcome of what we wanted to do and how we could manage the game.

"Boro are a very good team. It's not the first time this season they've hit teams for threes, fours and fives. They've shown their quality."

Middlesbrough's Michael Carrick:

"It's just really enjoyable watching them perform at the moment, seeing them express themselves and getting their rewards for it.

"Emmanuel has found his stride - he's showing that extra bit of sharpness, that zip that he's showing us he's got.

"I'm delighted for Manny and for Delano (Burgzorg) who played really well, Ben Doak's playing well, Finn Azaz is dangerous, Riley McGree and Tommy Conway are coming on and making a difference.

"Ben is going to be a marked man now and he's going to have to deal with it.

"I thought it wasn't a great tackle on him for the penalty - it could have been a red card - but I'm not going to complain about it, luckily he's all right.

"We know what the boys are capable of and it's exciting, there's no getting away from it.

"But I don't feel any different to earlier in the season because that's what we've been threatening to do with a lot of the good work.

"The boys are capitalising on it now and we've got to keep building on it and the confidence, there's obviously a lot of good signs."

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