Leadbitter reluctantly hoofs the ball into the box from deep, and it is flicked on into a dangerous position. Nobody in a red shirt gambles, though, and Collins has a comfortable catch to make.
90' +3
Assombalonga controls the ball in the box but is forced towards the corner flag - exactly where Burton want the ball at this stage in the game. The hosts do well to earn a corner, which Brayford - who else?! - heads clear.
90' +2
Boro are steadily building some pressure, but a poor delivery aimed towards the back post goes straight out of play.
89'
Collins races off his line to get to the ball ahead of Assombalonga. A poor cross-field pass intended for Fry goes straight out of play and there are audible jeers from the home stands.
87'
That really was a staggering miss from Flint, who scored eight goals in the Championship for former club Bristol City last season. Boro are running out of time to create another chance half as good as that one.
83'
Burton are sitting far deeper now than 10 minutes ago, but Boro are struggling to make the pressure tell. It has been a quiet second half for visiting goalkeeper Collins.
81'
B. Fox enters the game and replaces J. Hesketh.
Middlesbrough win a controversial corner, awarded despite Brayford seemingly being dragged to the ground before the ball went out of play. Not that it matters - the referee blows for an infringement when the set-piece is eventually taken.
Possible match-winner Hesketh is taken off and Fox is brought on in his place. Clough has two more changes available should he wish.
79'
B. Collins gets yellow.
Collins enters the referee's book for wasting time from the goal-kick. A little over 10 more minutes for his side to see through.
78'
GREAT DEFENDING! Brayford is having a stormer for Burton. The versatile defender is yet again perfectly positioned to clear Fry's cross from a few yards out before a player in red can help it over the line.
Minute
Description
76'
Boro have simply not created enough since falling behind. Burton, already enjoying their best ever run in this competition, are not exactly holding on.
74'
J. Hesketh gets yellow.
Downing tries to make something with his penetrative run, only for Brayford - superb all game - to block the Boro man in his path. Allen shoots from 25 yards but is nowhere near the target.
Hesketh, whose goal early in the second period remains the difference between the sides, is cautioned for bringing down Friend five yards outside his own box.
72'
A. Fletcher enters the game and replaces M. Braithwaite.
Fletcher, who has three goals in this season's EFL Cup, replaces Braithwaite with 18 minutes to go.
71'
There appears to be some movement in the Boro dugout, with a third and final change being readied. Clough has got his tactics spot on here - the hosts are being frustrated as we enter the final quarter of the tie.
69'
Braithwaite's first touch lets him down just when the space appeared to be opening up. It is an end-to-end contest now, with Burton unwilling to simply sit back and soak up the pressure. The visitors are a little over 20 minutes away from a place in the last four.
67'
PENALTY APPEAL! For the second time today, Middlesbrough have a pen shout rejected by Oliver. It was a pretty weak appeal, in truth, as the contact on Tavernier inside the box was minimal. Boro need to maintain this pressure.
65'
Burton may be seeing less of the ball than their opponents, but they are looking a lot more threatening when they attack. Braithwaite is nearly picked out at the back post for the hosts, only to be beaten to the aerial ball by Brayford.
63'
B. Assombalonga enters the game and replaces J. Hugill.
M. Tavernier enters the game and replaces M. Bešić.
Besic's return to action following his recent suspension lasts just over an hour, as Tavernier is brought on for the remainder of this tie.
Hesketh is set free down the right, but the best he can come up with is a cross towards Akins in the centre of the box. Boro defend the danger, though that is another example of much space Burton are being given to break into.
There is also a change up top for the Championship side - Assombalonga taking over from Hugill, who missed a couple of good chances in the first half.
60'
More groans around the Riverside Stadium as Fry's cross is easily dealt with by the visitors. Middlesbrough need to offer a lot more in an attacking sense if they are to find an equaliser.
58'
BIG TACKLE! Superb challenge from Batth to prevent Fraser from getting a shot away inside the box. The defender recovered well after initially being caught out, wrapping his foot around Fraser and making clean contact with the ball to concede only a corner.
56'
Boro are starting to grow back into the match now, but chances are proving to be difficult to come by. Both managers may be tempted to make a change as we approach the final half an hour.
54'
Middlesbrough need to regain their composure as, with 10 minutes of the second half played, they are a goal down and struggling to keep a hold of the ball. Clough's men are heading for a place in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup as things stand.
52'
The home fans are starting to grow frustrated now. Burton have been the side on top since opening the scoring through Hesketh's well-taken strike a couple of minutes after the restart.
50'
OVER! Middlesbrough have fallen to pieces since the restart. Burton have an extra man on the outside when getting forward in numbers, but the lively Harness curls the ball over the crossbar via a deflection.
48'
J. Hesketh has scored a goal for Burton Albion!
GOOAAALLLL!!! Middlesbrough 0-1 Burton! A little over two minutes into the second half, Burton take the lead. Allen's shot hits the inside of the post and is not properly dealt with by Boro, allowing Hesketh to pick out the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Great finish!
47'
Much like in the first half, Burton have come out of the blocks the quicker of the two sides. Harness makes a nuisance of himself and forces a corner out of Flint.
46'
Burton gets us back up and running! No changes made by either manager at half-time.
45' +2
HALF-TIME: MIDDLESBROUGH 0-0 BURTON
45'
CLOSE! Two minutes have been added on at the end of this goalless first half. Burton so nearly open the scoring in the first of those, with Harness curling the ball over the bar after being teed up by Akins at the end of a swift counter.
40'
Hugill successfully got in behind a few minutes ago for his double chance, but Braithwaite has less luck as the offside flag denies him a clear run at goal. Burton have five more minutes to see through.
38'
M. Bešić gets yellow.
Besic, who has only just returned from suspension, enters the referee's book for a challenge on Allen.
37'
DOUBLE CHANCE! Hugill has two bites at it but cannot find a way past Collins. The West Ham loanee beats the offside trap and shoots at Collins from an angle, before seeing his second attempt blocked in front of goal.
36'
This has been a good spell for the visiting side, who have had two or three minutes on top. No major scares for Middlesbrough, but they are now focusing just as much on defending as they are on attacking.
34'
A little warning for the Championship side, as Burton win a corner which is worked to Quinn on the edge of the box. The midfielder's shot rises high over the crossbar.
33'
A little over 10 minutes of the first half to play and Middlesbrough are back on top. Burton have done well to restrict their opponents overall, but the hosts have now had two decent attempts on target.
31'
GOOD ATTEMPT! Downing was always going to take on this free-kick, even if it was some 30 yards from goal. The ball is lifted up and over the wall, but Collins gets across to make the save before it can hit the top corner.
29'
A rare attacking opportunity for Burton, as Hutchinson is played in down the left and has plenty of time and space. The cross into the middle is easy enough for Flint to deal with, though, and Middlesbrough can regather.
27'
Middlesbrough are struggling to create a great deal now. The home side had a dominant spell of around 15 minutes when they bombarded the opposition box, but since then it has all gone a little quiet.
25'
A reminder that we will go straight to penalties should this one remain all square at the end of 90 minutes, with extra-time being scrapped in each round bar the final this season.
23'
A quarter of the match played and, while Boro have largely been on top, they have not really done enough to warrant a lead. A long ball intended for Friend down the left is overhit and goes straight out of play.
21'
Burton win a free-kick in a good crossing position. They instead opt to work it short to Brayford on the edge of the box, however, and the defender's shot is blocked before it can reach the target.
19'
A couple of dangerous deliveries into the Burton box are dealt with by the visitors, with Turner the latest to head the ball clear. Clough's men are struggling to grab a foothold on the match.
17'
The home side are really starting to find their groove now, forcing Burton further and further back. Only the one save for visiting keeper Collins to make, but Boro are starting to knock on the door.
16'
J. Hugill gets yellow.
A nasty challenge from Hugill on Quinn rightly lead to the first caution of the match. The Boro forward was let down by a poor touch and failed to get any of the ball with his strong tackle.
11'
Middlesbrough are renowned for their defensive solidity under Tony Pulis, conceding just 16 times all season in the Championship, but they are looking quite open in the opening 11 minutes of this cup tie.
9'
OVER! Boro may have started slowly but they are well on top now. Downing sends a right-sided cross into the middle and Hugill, under pressure from Brayford, heads the ball over the crossbar.
7'
CHANCE! Yet more sloppy play from Middlesbrough leads to a decent opportunity for Clough's side - one that they fail to make the most of. Akins is unable to get a shot on target, and moments later Braithwaite is played in behind at the other end of the field, but Hugill cannot get to his squared pass at full stretch.
6'
Harness takes the ball off Braithwaite inside the box but cannot make clean contact with the shot, which flashes wide of Randolph's goal.
4'
Burton have started on top here. The League One side are seeing plenty of the ball in the opposition half, without really doing much with it bar the odd cross into the centre.
3'
The visitors are lining up with a five-man defence, which is something they have yet to experiment with this season. Boro, as expected, are set out in a 4-3-3 formation.
1'
Middlesbrough, one-time winners of this competition, get us underway!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the EFL Cup quarter-final tie between Middlesbrough and Burton Albion at the Riverside Stadium. Third-tier Burton are aiming to pull off another upset as they take on a side sitting sixth in the Championship.
Nigel Clough’s side have already defeated three higher-ranked teams in this season’s competition, seeing off Championship pair Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in rounds two and four, either side of pulling off a shock victory against top-flight outfit Burnley. Middlesbrough, meanwhile, have overcome Notts County and Preston North End on penalties, as well as beating Rochdale and Crystal Palace in normal time.
MIDDLESBROUGH XI (4-3-3): Darren Randolph; Dael Fry, Danny Batth, Aden Flint, George Friend; Lewis Wing, Grant Leadbitter (c), Muhamed Besic; Stewart Downing, Jordan Hugill, Martin Braithwaite
Middlesbrough subs: Andy Lonergan, Daniel Ayala, Britt Assombalonga, George Saville, Paddy McNair, Ashley Fletcher, Marcus Tavernier
BURTON XI (4-4-1-1): Bradley Collins; John Brayford, Jake Buxton (c), Ben Turner, Reece Hutchinson; Scott Fraser, Jamie Allen, Stephen Quinn, Marcus Myers-Harness; Jake Hesketh; Lucas Akins
Burton subs: Kieran Wallace, Damien McCrory, Elliot Hodge, Joe Sbarra, Will Miller, Dimitar Evtimov, Ben Fox
The two teams are now out on the field at the Riverside Stadium and we are moments away from kick-off. Middlesbrough are looking to reach the semi-finals of this competition for the first time since 2003-04, when they went on to win the trophy under Steve McClaren, while Burton can become the first side from the third tier or lower to reach the last four since Sheffield United in 2014-15 should they come out on top here.
The sides go into the break all square at the Riverside Stadium, meaning that it is still all to play for in the second half. Middlesbrough had the better of things, coming particularly close through Wing, Downing and Hugill, but Harness had a good opportunity for Burton right at the end of the opening 45 minutes which he perhaps should have done better with.
Visiting boss Clough will no doubt be pleased enough with his side's performance so far, having managed to go into the interval level at 0-0. The fact that there is no extra time means that the League One side only have to see out another 45 minutes, at which point it comes down to who can hold their nerve from the penalty spot. A big second half awaits for both sides!
Middlesbrough must now pick themselves up for their trip to Reading next Saturday, while Burton - the first third-tier side to make it to the semi-finals of this competition in four years - take on Luton Town on the same day as focus switches back to their League One campaign.
Thanks for joining our coverage today. Until next time, goodbye!
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