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Middlesbrough cruised into the Carabao Cup semi-finals after breezing past Port Vale 3-0.<\/p>\n
Jonny Howson, Morgan Rogers and Matt Crooks fired the 2004 winners in to the last four with a comfortable win at Vale Park.<\/p>\n
Boro had not made a major domestic semi-final since losing to West Ham in the last four of the FA Cup in 2006.<\/p>\n
Vale\u2019s big night \u2013 their first League Cup quarter-final \u2013 was ruined by the incisive and efficient visitors within 23 minutes.<\/p>\n
Gavin Massey missed the hosts\u2019 best chance but Boro boss Michael Carrick, a two-time winner with Manchester United, ultimately navigated a tricky tie with ease given their injury problems.<\/p>\n
So depleted were the visitors that Carrick named four substitutes without a senior appearance, including 17-year-old Law McCabe, but it was the experienced Howson who fired them ahead after 11 minutes.<\/p>\n
Boro had threatened through the middle and the midfielder was able to easily find space. With defenders giving him time, the 35-year-old needed no second invitation and his 25-yard shot clipped Jason Lowe to loop over Connor Ripley.<\/p>\n
Missing 10 players due to injury and resting Rav van den Berg, with an eye on their bid to stay in touch with the Championship\u2019s play-off pack, the visitors had a platform.<\/p>\n
Ethan Chislett curled an early free kick over and plucky Vale \u2013 15th in League One \u2013 had nothing to lose, only for a second Boro goal after 23 minutes to seal the game.<\/p>\n
Again, it was a simple build up with Sam Silvera winning the ball on the right and he kept his composure to pick out Rogers on the edge of the box.<\/p>\n
The former Manchester City forward was left completely unmarked to stroke a fine low finish into the corner \u2013 his fourth goal of the competition.<\/p>\n
Yet, far from shrinking, Vale kept going and should have pulled a goal back three minutes later only for a stretching Massey to lift over from close range.<\/p>\n
Boro should have been out of sight just before the break when Crooks shot over but it was just a warning as the midfielder struck eight minutes into the second half when he barged his way through and drilled into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n
Worse was to follow for the hosts when Oliver Arblaster was carried off with a serious leg injury just before the hour.<\/p>\n
It sucked the life out Vale and, from then, Boro were happy to see the game out and Ripley denied Calum Kavanagh a debut goal when the visitors threatened a late fourth.<\/p>\n