Under 18s Premier League North

Manchester City U18 5 (Oliver 7’, 36’, 61’, 86’, Aiyegbusi 90+2’)

Leeds United U18 1 (White 44’)

Manchester City U18s: Vickery (GK), Wain (C), Lawrie, Barrett (Obin 71’), Houlihan, Gueke, Whisker (Aina 71’), Carrington, Oliver (Osifo 87’), Motsi (Aiyegbusi 58’), Woode (Raheem 71’). Subs not used: Grigg, Smith.

Leeds United U18s: Wood (GK), Walker, Balmer, Whitehead, (Hazell-Schofield 71’) Watson (Bridge 77’), Megson, Stockton (Graaf 70’), Bhaskaran (C), White, Ibrovic-Fletcher, Mensah (Heywood 71’). Subs not used: Herrick, Morrall, Bennett.

Referee: Daniel Sims | Venue: City Football Academy | Booked: Barrett (City) Balmer (Leeds) | Sent off: Bhaskaran (Leeds)

A hard-working Leeds United Under 18s side were beaten by Manchester City Under 18s on Saturday afternoon in their Premier League North encounter, after goals from Dexter Oliver and Tirenioluwa Aiyegbusi were enough to seal the points, either side of Logan White’s effort.

There were grey clouds and a constant downpour over Manchester as Rob Etherigton’s side, in their yellow away kit, were set to take on the Sky Blues of Man City.

Leeds settled into the game well with calm and composed possession throughout the opening stages. Approaching three minutes, Alfie Walker played a right-footed chip over the top to White, who was narrowly beaten to the ball by the oncoming goalkeeper, Ben Vickery.

It was high intensity off the ball as well, as Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher stole the ball from Marlow Barrett in the middle of the park, which allowed a direct ball behind the City back line.

White and Kenneth Mensah pressured the opposition defence, rewarding White with the ball on the edge of the area. He looked to link up with his fellow attacker and find Mensah, but the linesman had his flag up for offside.

The possession continued to build from United after Walker and Thomas Stockton linked up in their defensive third, creating the opportunity to set White through on goal with a lofted pass.

A quick burst of acceleration pushed the visiting forward wide and away from the keeper, but he failed to wrap his foot around the ball enough, with his shot clipping the outside of the post.

Despite the early possession from the visitors, it was a quick turnaround for the home side as Javahn Woode found a yard of space down the left flank. His low-driven cross into the six-yard area found Oliver who passed the ball beyond Oliver Wood, opening the scoring inside seven minutes.

Beyond the 20-minute mark, City came again through William Gueke, linking up with Woode, who played Darren Motsi through on the edge of the box.

However, a combination of defending by Jacob Watson and Loui Whitehead was able to take the sting out of the shot from the edge of the box, and Wood gathered comfortably.

Upon the half hour mark, Bhaskaran drove into the box looking for White, but Lawrie made a sliding tackle to block for a corner. Balmer produced an outswinger, which was headed only as far as the skipper on the edge, but his shot could not get through the bodies within the box.

Man City got their double advantage they were looking for, as Timeo Whisker worked it well on the edge of the box to feed through Oliver, who finished down into the bottom right with his left foot strike, making it 2-0.

On the approach to half-time, White muscled his man off and brought down a high ball. A clever touch took him into the box, and he fired right-footed into the bottom-right corner, halving the deficit, and making that three goals in three league appearances for White this season!

Leeds finished the half stronger and were looking to end the half level, but referee Daniel Sims drew the contest to a close, with United trailing.

HALF TIME: Manchester City U18s 2-1 Leeds United U18s

It was not the start to the second half Leeds would have expected, as Bhaskaran picked up a second yellow seconds into the half, meaning the Whites would play the rest of the match with 10 players.

The home side looked to take an early advantage of the extra body as Oliver Houlihan found space down the left for a cross and looked to find Oliver in the penalty area, but a last-ditch tackle from Watson kept the visitors in the game.

Despite that set-back, Leeds looked to level the game as Ibrovic-Fletcher and White linked up, with White cutting in off the left and onto his right. He curled his shot towards the far corner, but a little touch diverted it for a corner.

There was a quick double chance for City, but it was met equally with defensive capability from Leeds. Aiyegbusi fired a shot at close range, only for Wood to make himself big and prevent a goal. The ball then landed at the feet of Jacob Wain on the edge of the area, and he fired a shot which was headed away by Watson.

The second-half pressure finally told, and City got their third through Oliver, who completed his hat-trick, with Woode picking up his second assist.

The same player then got his and City’s fourth of the game, and the scoring was finished two minutes into added time when Aiyegbusi found himself one-on-one and smashed the ball into the net to secure the home side all three points.

Leeds will now look to set things in their upcoming outing next Saturday as they return to Thorp Arch to host Burnley Under-18s.

Full Time: Manchester City U18s 5-1 Leeds United U18s