It proved a tough afternoon for Gareth Taylor’s Under-18s as they suffered a home reverse at the hands of league leaders Everton.
The visitors skipper Kieran Phillips struck a fine hat-trick for the Merseyside outfit with City unable to find a response.
Everton made a quickfire start and rocked City on their heels with a two-goal blast inside the first 10 minutes.
They struck first on just four minutes when Phillips capitalised on a poor back pass to slot home past Louie Moulden.
And on 10 minutes the Everton striker had struck again, latching onto a fine pass from Tom Warren to shoot past Moulden.
City gradually grew into the game as they sought to summon up a response and from Lewis Fiorini’s right wing cross Jayden Braaf was just wide.
However, Everton were a constant threat on the break in an impressive first half showing with Moulden needing to be at his best to keep out efforts from Ellis Simms and Anthony Gordon.
For City the nearest we came to a breakthrough was when Keke Simmonds shot just wide after good work by Ben Knight from midfield.
The Blues looked to summon up a second-half response but couldn’t find a way through the Toffees’ rearguard.
Substitutes Cole Palmer and Egan-Riley came closest for City.
However, the game was settled just past the hour when Phillips rounded off a fine individual display by curling a fine shot past Moulden to seal Everton’s win.
How we lined up
Moulden, Fiorini, Sobowale, Amankwah, Midgley, Hodge, Wright-Phillips, Knight, Simmonds, Dele-Bashiru, Braaf
Next up
City play host to Leicester City in the Under-18s Premier League Cup at the City Football Academy on Saturday September 29. Kick-off 12pm.
