Second-half goals from Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin helped Fulham come from behind to defeat Middlesbrough in the FA Cup third round.
Boro, second in the Championship, opened the scoring through Hayden Hackney but the Cottagers turned to their strong bench in the second half.
The visitors went 1-0 up at Craven Cottage on the half-hour mark after fantastic work from Sam Silvera, who exchanged a one-two with Aidan Morris in the box and nutmegged both Ryan Sessegnon and Jorge Cuenca to square the ball for Hackney.
The Boro defence were rarely troubled until the final five minutes of the first half, but Luke Ayling had to clear off the line after Spanish centre-back Cuenca’s first-time shot from a Harrison Reed corner in the 42nd minute.
Fulham, however, failed to sustain their late first-half flourish after the break, opting for a triple change after 11 minutes of the second half as regulars Wilson, Raul Jimenez and Tom Cairney were introduced.
And it produced an instant impact as Wilson’s delightful curling shot from the edge of the box – less than four minutes after coming on – levelled the tie.
Tommy Conway almost restored Boro’s lead two minutes later but was denied by the crossbar – and it was the Premier League side who struck next.
Cairney passed into the feet of Smith Rowe, who was afforded space inside the box and capitalised to bury past Boro goalkeeper Sol Brynn.
There was still time for Kevin to score his first goal for Fulham as the Brazilian winger connected with Wilson’s cross from close range to send his side into the fourth round for the seventh season running.
This time last year Morgan Whittaker orchestrated an FA Cup upset with a fantastic late winner in the third round for Plymouth Argyle against Brentford.
Now in Middlesbrough colours, he came into the fixture having scored 10 goals in his past 17 games for the side pushing for promotion to the Premier League.
There was no upset here but Whittaker and Boro made it a nervy watch for Fulham manager Marco Silva, watching from the stands at Craven Cottage.
The Portuguese, serving a touchline ban for a third yellow card in the 2-1 win against Chelsea, made seven changes – which contributed to his side failing to click in attack in the first half.
Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte was called into action inside four minutes to deny Conway, while the hosts struggled to carve out many openings at the other end.
But it all changed in the second half when in-form Wilson came off the bench.
The Wales winger has seven goals in the Premier League this season and did not waste any time adding a cup goal to his tally – with his left foot proving dangerous again.
Wilson was involved in all three Fulham goals, finding Cairney for Smith Rowe’s second and providing the assist for Kevin to seal the result – after Whittaker had gone agonisingly close to levelling the tie for the visitors.
Silva has now managed in eight FA Cup third-round ties and gone through every time – with Wilson to thank for his latest victory.
Fulham return to Premier League action with a trip to Leeds United on Saturday, 17 January (15:00 GMT), while Middlesbrough are at West Brom in the Championship on Friday, 16 January (20:00).
