CITY'S Under 18's were put to the sword by their Manchester United counterparts as they ran out 3-0 winners at the Clayton Wood Training Ground on Wednesday afternoon.

The visitors, who moved six points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier Academy League Group C, took just three minutes to break the deadlock when Nick Ajose capitalised on some hesitant defending to slam the ball beyond Dave Parton from 10-yards.

The young City stopper had to bravely thwart United captain John Cofie down at his feet moments later to ensure the Red Devils didn't couble their advantage.

However, there was nothing he could do to deny £2,000,000 France Under 21 star Paul Pogba soon after as he caught Cofie's deep corner with aplomb and volleyed exquisitely into the far corner.

Warwick Alexander then tested the hands of Sam Johnstone with a powerful effort from 20-yards, before he failed to make proper contact with a dangerous ball fired into his path by the lively Tom Urwin just two minutes later.

Paul McGuiness' side pushed forward in search of a third goal before the interval, however, despite the best efforts of both Pogba and Reece Brown, the younger brother of England star Wes, neither could find a way past Parton.

The Potters looked far brighter following the interval and almost halved the defecit when Urwin superbly beat two men on the right and laid the ball off to Alexander, only for the striker to blaze the ball over the bar from 8-yards.

Urwin again turned provider moments later after latching on to a neat through ball from Adam Vickers, but his pacy ball into the danger zone was dealt with brilliantly by United defender Sean McGinty with Cameron Mitchell waiting in the wings to tap home.

Pennock introduced both Lucas Dawson and Jack Harrison in an effort to reinvigorate his side late on, but whilst the Potters did look the more likely to find an avenue back into the match, it was the visitors who rounded off the proceedings with a third late on, courtesy of Cofie.

CITY: Parton; Hedley, Sinclair, Cohen, Wint; Urwin, Jackson (Dawson 75), Connor, Mitchell; Vickers (Harrison 75), Alexander.