GATLIN O’Donkor has a level of experience which compares very favourably to other strikers his age in English football.

The 18-year-old has been a leading figure in Oxford United’s historic run to the quarter finals of the FA Youth Cup, scoring five goals.

O’Donkor backed up his late strike at Exeter City in the third round with braces at the Kassam Stadium against Cardiff City and Leeds United.

Added to his five goals in the FA Youth Cup run, O’Donkor has scored twice in 24 appearances for the first team this season.

Those goals came in Sky Bet League One games at home to Fleetwood Town and Charlton Athletic, and were his first strikes in professional football.

In total, he has made 28 appearances for United.

In the FA Youth Cup this season, only Preston North End’s 16-year-old Brazilian striker Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile has scored more in the competition.

However, five of his seven goals came in North End’s 6-1 win in the third round at home to Rotherham United.

The Brazilian is reportedly being tracked by Liverpool and Manchester United, but is yet to make his senior debut.

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The other youngsters to have bagged five goals in this season’s FA Youth Cup are Southampton’s Dom Ballard and Cambridge United’s Glenn McConnell.

Ballard, 17, has made seven appearances for the Saints – six of which were in the Papa John’s Trophy – and scored twice.

McConnell signed his first professional contract in May, and while yet to play for Cambridge, he scored two goals in five games while on loan at Vanarama National League South side St Albans City.

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O’Donkor’s playing time reflects well too when compared to the forwards in the most recent England Under-19 squad.

For the 4-2 win against Denmark in September, Sonny Perkins (Leeds), Divin Mubama (West Ham United), Oakley Cannonier (Liverpool) and Kian Pennant (Leicester City) were called up.

Perkins started and scored, Mubama came on as a substitute, and the latter two were unused.

Perkins has scored two goals in 10 career appearances, four of which were for West Ham last season.

Mubama has played five times for the Hammers, while Cannonier and Pennant have both played three times for their clubs.

None of the trio are yet to score a goal in professional football though.

United Under-18s skipper George Franklin said of O’Donkor: “He’s a big asset to our team up front, with the power and the pace.

“The technical ability too, he’s got that left foot which is phenomenal.

“If you’re under pressure and games aren’t going that well, you know you can lump the ball forward and he’ll hold it up for you, get that foul or connect play.

“He’s that typical No 9 that every team needs.”