Oliver masterclass helps City U18s extend winning run

It was the perfect start for our young Blues who took an early lead inside 10 minutes through Dexter Oliver, who was tasked with leading City’s line in the absence of Teddie Lamb.

For our second, Timeo Whisker teed up Oliver who converted from the centre of the box with a fine finish for his second of the afternoon also.

However, just before the break, Leeds’ Logan White fired into the bottom-right corner which meant an exciting second half awaited.

Leeds were quickly left with an uphill battle when they were reduced to 10 on 46 minutes after a second bookable offence for skipper Joe Bhaskaran.

City capitalised on the man advantage and finally found our third of the afternoon just after the hour mark as Oliver completed his hat-trick.

He added a fourth and final goal to his tally, a clinical strike on the half-turn, before Tireni Aiyegbusi topped off a five-star performance with a goal on his Under-18s debut.

WHAT HAPPENED

As Autumn approaches, so do the gloomier Saturday matchdays for City’s Under-18s.

The grey, wet and cloudy City Football Academy played host to our third league game of the season in which Lauris Coggin’s side looked razor sharp from kick-off.

And it took the young Blues just seven minutes to open up our account.

From the left wing, Javahn Woode played a low ball into the path of a sprinting Dexter Oliver who tapped home with a first-time finish to also get his 2026/27 campaign up and running.

City continued to dominate play so it came as no surprise that the Blues scored the next goal.

Timeo Whisker shook off two Leeds shirts with his impressive footwork and tenacity and quickly played Oliver through on goal.

But the 18-year-old still had work to do as he rolled the ball away from his marker before he fired a low right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner on 36 minutes to leave Leeds goalkeeper Oliver Wood frustrated.

It was almost the perfect half but a small lapse in concentration two minutes before the break allowed Logan White to find a pocket of space between City’s centre-back pairing and half the deficit.

The visitors were handed a blow just a minute into the second half when Leeds captain Joe Bhaskaran was dismissed following a second yellow card.

City continued to dominate and Woode’s impressive pace continuously caused Leeds problems, with the next chance a fruitful one. 

A fantastic burst down the left by the winger saw him once again tee up Oliver to see him complete his hat-trick on 61 minutes with a difficult first-time finish.

Oliver almost had a fourth after he ran onto Tolani Raheem’s cutback on 77 minutes but was denied by the outstretched legs of Wood shortly before Olly Houlihan saw his close-range shot saved by the Leeds ‘keeper.

Oliver wouldn’t be denied again when he fired home on the half turn on 86 minutes to top off a fantastic performance for the youngster.

And with our final attack of the match, City’s final goal of the afternoon was guided into the bottom-left corner by Aiyegbusi to top off an impressive first outing for the Under-18s.

HOW WE LINED UP

CITY XI | Vickery, Wain (C), Lawrie, Barrett (Obin 70’), Houlihan, Gueke, Whisker (Aina 70’), Carrington, Oliver (Otabor Osifo 87’), Motsi (Aiyegbusi 58’), Woode (Raheem 70’)

SUBS | Grigg, Smith, Otabor Osifo, Aina, Raheem.

LEEDS XI | Wood, Walker, Balmer, Whitehead (Heywood 71’), Watson (Bridge 83’), Megson, Stockton (Van Der Graaf 70’), Bhaskaran, White, Ibrovic-Fletcher, Mensah (Hazell-Schofield 71’)

SUBS | Herrick, Morrall, Bennett.

AS A RESULT

City sit second of the Under-18 Premier League North with first-place Newcastle United the only other side to win three games from three.

UP NEXT

City will hit the road for our next fixture. We travel to Stoke on Saturday 5 September, with kick-off set for 11:00 (UK).

The game will be available to watch live on CITY+, with the stream to start just before the game begins.