“All credit to the players, they gave absolutely everything, I think we got beaten by the better team tonight and you sometimes have to hold your hands up to that”

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell said his players can be proud of the performance and the scare they gave Championship Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup fourth round. It was a thrilling tie at St James Park that twisted and turned one way and the other, before a late penalty saw Boro book their spot in the quarter-finals.

Ryan Trevitt’s screamer of a strike put the Grecian ahead as he blasted into the top corner from the edge of the box off the underside of the crossbar. Boro though dominated large periods of the game and equalised just after the break when Morgan Rogers curled home into the top corner.

Shortly after Sammy Silvera put Michael Carrick’s men ahead with another cracking 25 yards strike, but City rallied again, and Trevitt, albeit with the aid of a slight deflection, made it 2-2 in the 66 ^th minute with another long-range piledriver that flew into the top corner.

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Both sides wanted the winner and to avoid penalties but Trevitt went from hero to villain when he needlessly pulled down Rogers from a corner. Emmanuel Latte Lath stepped up and converted the 81 ^st minute penalty to make it 3-2 and win the game for the visitors.

The loss meant City’s hopes of creating history and reaching the last eight for the first time in their history were denied. It is now eight games without a win for the Grecians, seven of them defeats, and just one win in 11, but Caldwell felt that his players gave it a real go, but ultimately, were beaten by a better team.

“It was a brilliant performance, loads of effort, loads of endeavour,” the Scot said. “We got asked some serious questions as a football team tonight against what I think is a top side, a potential Premier League side next season, and it wasn’t for the want of trying that we went out of the cup.

“So all credit to the players, they gave absolutely everything, I think we got beaten by the better team tonight and you sometimes have to hold your hands up to that, and good luck to Middlesbrough in the next round.

“It was a brilliant atmosphere from kick-off and the players took it on board, we had a clear game plan as we couldn’t go full press with the squad we have and the lack of finishers, so contained them in a mid-block and did well. We scored a brilliant goal. Second half was a poor start but a great reaction, we were back in the game, and then it was game-on and a proper cup tie and a soft penalty decides it.

“We knew how difficult the task would be. They are a top squad and had speed and technical ability in the final third. Their first two goals were outstanding but I felt we can defend better but we were beaten by a better team. They controlled the game, we had a game plan that could see us win, and nearly pulled it off.”

Caldwell made three changes from the side who ended the losing run with a 1-1 draw against Lincoln City on Saturday. In came Jack Fitzwater in place of the suspended Pierce Sweeney, while Kyle Taylor and the well-again Zak Jules replaced the injured Reece Cole and Jack Aitchison

Tom Carroll was also out, not fit enough to be involved, while City could name only seven of nine possible subs, including three teenagers. For Middlesbrough, Carrick made seven changes from the side who were beaten 2-0 by Stoke City at the weekend as he rotated his squad.

Boro had a couple of early chances, but In the 13 ^th minute, a sold-out St James Park erupted when the Grecians took the lead. Demetri Mitchell took a quick throw-in down the right which Taylor was first to react to. He held the ball up, hooked the cross in, and Trevitt, who ghosted in to the edge of the box, with a first time finish, thundered the strike in off the underside of the crossbar. On Halloween night, it was a screamer.

Rogers, Dael Fry, Silvera and Anfernee Dijksteel all spurned half-decent chances, while Vil Sinisalo in the Grecians goal was on top form, making saves when called into action, twice denying Silvera at the end of the first half. But the second half onslaught came and within four minute, Boro were level.

Fitzwater as he attempted to clear seemed to kick Alex Bangura and it could have been a penalty. It mattered not though as Rogers pounced on the loose ball, cut inside, and curled home a stunning effort into the top corner to make it 1-1, with his fourth goal of the season.

It was one-way traffic and City were trying to hang on, but just before the hour, Middlesbrough had turned the tie around and took the lead. Silvera was allowed to cut inside by Vincent Harper who wasn’t tight enough, the Exeter man slipped, and the Australian curled home delightfully from 25 yards.

The outcome of the tie seemed only to be heading one way, but in the 66 ^th minute, City drew level. Harry Kite broke forward and found Trevitt 30 yards from goal. The Brentford loanee let fly with a first time effort, it took a slight deflection, but flew past Tom Glover in goal and into the top corner to send the Big Bank wild and make it 2-2.

Latte Lath had a golden chance to win it when he was clean through on goal, but Sinisalo twice denied him. But moments later, from the resulting corner, the striker did restore Boro’s lead. A corner was only half cleared, and Trevitt needlessly pulled the shirt of Rogers, and referee Graham Scott correctly pointed to the spot. Up stepped Latte Lathe, and he calmly sent Sinisalo the wrong way to make it 3-2.

“I thought it was very soft,” Caldwell said of the penalty. “I genuinely think we don’t get that penalty.”

Nine minutes of stoppage-time were added-on. But City couldn’t force another equaliser to send the tie to penalties and bowed out. Exeter City are back in action on Saturday when they host Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup first round.

“We have to take belief as there is no side in our league that has that sort of quality,” the manager added. “We have to learn lessons, when you give them chances, they will hurt you. The players can be proud of what we did tonight, but we need to recover and be ready for Saturday and go on another cup run.”