Both sides had a sprinkling of first team experience on show and it was David Ngog’s glancing header after seven minutes that put Liverpool ahead.
Stuart Taylor’s point blank save from Alex Kacaniklic in the 36th minute kept the Blues afloat and both Michael Johnson and Vlad Weiss were both off target as the home side upped the tempo and sought an equaliser.
Johnson, on the comeback trail after a long injury and fresh from a cameo role with the first team against West Ham, went off at the break along with Javier Garrido, They were replaced by Scott Kay and Greg Cunningham.
It was keeper Taylor to the rescue again for the league leaders at the start of the second half when he spread himself bravely at the feet of David Amoo but it was only a temporary reprieve as Kacaniklic doubled the lead soon afterwards
David Ball came closest to reducing the deficit just failing to reach a swinging free kick from Weiss. Alhough Liverpool’s star name, Danish international Daniel Agger,went off in the 76th minute there was still no way back for the Blues who did bring a fine late save from David Martin via the industrious Ball.
CITY: Taylor, Smith, Garrido (Kay 46), Vidal, Wabara, Johnson (Cunningham 46), Weiss (Moore 83), Ibrahim, Ball, Mak, Poole. Not used: Johansen, and Redshaw.
