U18s: Oxford 1 United 4

First-half strikes from Albert Mills and Gabriel set us on the way, with our young Reds exerting dominance throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Further goals from Chido Obi and Noah Ajayi completed the scoring at the Kassam Stadium, with Josh Holton notching for the hosts.

We will now play Sunderland or Brighton and Hove Albion in the last eight, with that game to be played by 14 March.

FIRST HALF

It was Oxford who started the brighter of the two sides, with winger Mo Missanga threatening inside the opening 60 seconds. Flying down the left flank, his cross into the six-yard box served as an early eye-opener for United's Academy side.

Bendito Mantato then drove down his flank in response as we looked to carve open a first opportunity. The young winger picked out Obi inside the box, with his header flashing narrowly wide of the mark.

Missanga was proving a handful as he went close with a right-footed shot after 11 minutes played, but shortly after, Darren Fletcher's side had the go-ahead goal in the game.

Yuel Helafu played in Mantato, who took the ball into his path with a neat turn, before seeing his attempt parried over the bar by Oxford goalkeeper Harry Jones.

From the resulting corner, Jim Thwaites's corner found the head of defender Mills, who rose perfectly to power home the first goal of the game, coming good on our early dominance.

Junior Brown was attempting to find similar success on the opposite flank to Mantato as we again came forward. The young winger had his first attempt saved, before Goodwill Kukonki almost added a second from our next set-piece, if not for a fine intervention.

Mantato then hit the post after being set free on goal by Gabriel, but just five minutes before the first half ended, we had a second through the latter who struck well from range.

Picking up the ball well in space, the teenage forward drove forward before unleashing a shot from 25 yards out that took a wicked bounce that didn't help goalkeeper Jones, bouncing up off of the turf and into the top corner to double our lead.

SECOND HALF

Gabriel was the first to test Oxford's young goalkeeper as the second half began, as the one-way traffic continued at the Kassam Stadium on a cold evening.

Our third came after good work from Brown, who stole a march on his full-back out wide. He picked out the ever-threatening Obi who had peeled away from his defender, finding enough space to convert from close range for 3-0.

But after an hour played the game had a fourth goal with the visitors attempted to make it interesting. It had to be Missanga at the heart of it, with the forward getting the better of Helafu before squaring for Holton to notch past United goalkeeper Cameron Byrne-Hughes.

A plethora of substitutes then followed as the game entered something as a lull, with our young Reds beginning to use our game experience to see the job over the line.

Noah Ajayi was introduced and looked to make sure of our victory with his own attempts on goal, as two drives at the U's brought promising signs of a fourth goal.

The German teenager was rewarded soon after, going solo to beat two players, then applying the required finish to slam the ball past Jones to seal our progression to the last eight of the competition.

MATCH DETAILS

Oxford: Jones; Palmer-Flynn, Collins (Payne 35), Cramond, Osbourne (Purcell 82); Doyle, Holton; Abolade (M.Vaughan 70), H.Vaughan (Dourish 58), Missanga; Lee.

Subs not used: Jackson, Andrews, Kiriisa, Purcell.

Goals: Holton 60.

United: Byrne-Hughes; Helafu (J.Watson 90), Mills, Armer, Kukonki; McCormack, Thwaites (McEvoy 75), Gabriel; Mantato, Obi, Brown (Ajayi 75).

Subs not used: Heath, Shah, D.Nkoto, Bradbury.

Booked: Helafu

Goals: Mills, Gabriel, Obi, Ajayi.