Dexter Oliver double fires Under-18s to victory

Despite earning a deserved 2-0 win away to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, our Under-18s bowed out of the Premier League Cup after other results didn’t go our way.

We headed into the game though knowing a win was the minimum requirement and we got just that thanks to a Dexter Oliver brace. 

A goalless first half saw few chances for either side, but we broke the deadlock just two minutes into the second half as Calum Logan went on a darting run all the way across the pitch before squaring it to Dexter to fire home.

The points were sealed with nine minutes to go as a scramble outside the box saw the ball break to Dexter, who duly rifled home a stunning left-foot shot, straight into the top-left corner.

It was a performance to be proud of in Leicestershire by our young lads however, unfortunately, results elsewhere mean we have been eliminated from the competition, despite picking up six points from our three fixtures.

A much changed side saw three players step up to make their debut at this level, as Blake Irow and Oliver Salter both started and Ezra Agyekum came off the bench.

It took us just four minutes to open up the Leicester defence, as Ellis Lehane broke the offside trap down the left wing and charged into the box, only to lose his footing before he could pick out Ronny Moncur who was waiting at the back post.

A quiet 15-minute period then followed until a great challenge by Tye Hall won possession high up in the Foxes' half, a shot from the right was deflected towards Lehane, whose instinctive header went just wide.

The hosts then had an opportunity of their own, having a shot deflected wide at the near post before Hall had a free-kick from 25 yards deflected away for a corner.

Our next opportunity came after the half-hour mark as a ball over the top found Moncur whose cross was too high for Lehane but Oliver Salter did well to win a corner on the left. City keeper Donohue attempted to come and collect the resulting set piece but missed it causing chaos inside the penalty area, but we were unable to convert before it was scrambled away.

The final chance of the first half fell to the hosts, as a dangerous curling shot from Lorenz Hutchinson curled just wide of the top right corner.

We broke the deadlock with our first chance of the second half, with Calum Logan winning the ball back from a Leicester attack and, after a neat one-two with Oliver, set off on a darting run from the left flank all the way to the right side of the Leicester penalty area, luring the ‘keeper out before squaring it to Dexter to tuck home into a gaping net.

It was Logan involved again with our next chance past the hour, winning it high up this time and feeding it to substitute Cameron Thomas, whose effort was saved only for the offside flag to then be raised.

Thomas turned provider next, breaking quickly after a turnover and trying to find the run of Lehane, but the outstretched body of a City defender was there to block it.

It was Dante Orr's turn to go on a jinking run next as he raced down the right side beating a couple of men before cutting into the box and forcing a strong low save at the near post from Donohue, before Lehane made it three chances in three minutes but, this time, his shot was just the wrong side of the near post.

A wayward pass deep in our own half gifted the Foxes an opportunity to pull one back, but the defence recovered to block Keehan Underwood's tame effort.

Our last opportunity came with seven minutes to play as substitute Reiss Elliott-Parris spotted an opportunity to shoot from distance, again forcing a strong low save from Donohue before the final chance fell to the hosts with a curled an effort from distance just inches wide of Blake Irow's top right corner.

The victory sees us eliminated from the competition by the finest of margins with the top three sides all joint on six points and just two goals separating us from leaders Manchester United.