Emmanuel Latte Lath has scored five goals for Boro in his past three Championship games
In-form Middlesbrough scored six goals in an away league match for the first time in 64 years as they thumped struggling Oxford United.
A hat-trick from Emmanuel Latte Lath, two goals from the excellent Finn Azaz and another from substitute Tommy Conway saw a rampant Boro climb into the Championship play-off positions following a third straight win.
Greg Leigh and Dane Scarlett scored for the hosts, who have now recorded just one win in their last 11 outings.
Oxford drop to 18th, just two points above the drop zone, while Boro go fifth.
Following a cagey opening 10 minutes, Boro finally clicked into gear when Azaz found Latte Lath but his left-footed shot was kept out superbly at his near post by United goalkeeper Jamie Cumming following a swift counter-attack.
Against the run of play, however, the hosts opened the scoring.
Tyler Goodrham's deep corner found Elliott Moore who turned the ball across to Jamaican international Leigh to fire home from close range.
The goal sparked a change in Boro's approach and 12 minutes later Liverpool loanee Ben Doak got down the line and was brought down in the box by United captain Moore.
Latte Lath stepped up and coolly sent Cumming the wrong way for his fifth Championship goal of the season.
Oxford striker Mark Harris was then played in on goal but his touch was too heavy and stand-in goalkeeper Sol Brynn did fabulously to dispossess the Wales international as he was bearing down on goal.
Just over a minute later, the hosts were made to pay.
Latte Lath’s initial cross was blocked but the ball came back to the front man and he found Azaz who stroked the ball into the bottom corner.
Soon after, the same pair combined, although this time it was Azaz who slipped in Latte Lath in on goal who duly beat the onrushing Cumming to put the Teesiders two clear at half-time.
Early in the second half, Latte Lath completed his hat-trick with a left-footed dipping effort to beat Cumming - his fifth goal in his past three Championship games.
Substitute Scarlett then found himself on the edge of the box for the hosts and his right-footed strike from an angle found the corner to make it 4-2.
Azaz, who was terrific throughout for Boro, then weaved his way through a couple of challenges before striking the base of the post with Cumming beaten.
Substitute Tommy Conway made it five for Boro, for the second game in a row, as his fabulous long range strike under pressure from two United defenders managed to beat the hapless Cumming.
Azaz was not to be outdone, however, and he made it six for the visitors when he placed a 20-yard strike into the corner with seven minutes left.
The win means Boro have now scored 15 goals in their last three games - the first time they have done so since November 1947.
Oxford United head coach Des Buckingham told BBC Radio Oxford:
"It shows you the ruthlessness of this league- they've had three shots on target in the second half and scored all three so they were clinical in their finish but they were the better team throughout the majority of that game.
"We were in a good game for 30-35 minutes, and I thought we deserved to go one up, and then we had a 10 minute spell where they got the penalty and then got the second quickly to put them in front and ended up getting in to half-time 3-1 up.
"It's a harsh reality of this league, we need to quickly recoup, recover and get ready for Tuesday and we'll certainly do that."
Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees:
“It’s a hard place to come and the conditions made it tough - fast pitch with a lot of wind.
"I thought, especially going a goal down, we started alright and made some chances and we played some really good football.
"We know what the boys are capable of and it's exciting - there's no getting away from it.
"We've got to keep building but we've got two tough games coming on Wednesday and early Saturday that we need to deal with and that's why the squad's going to be vital."
