Wanderers strolled to top spot in Group E of the Vertu Trophy and all but booked their passage through to the knock-out phase with a comfortable win over City’s youngsters, writes Pete Oliver.
Both sides had won their opening games and City arrived at the Toughsheet Community Stadium with a superior goal difference thanks to a 5-1 win at Oldham in their opening game.
But that advantage was quickly wiped out as Wanderers rattled in three goals inside the first 23 minutes to effectively get the job done in the first quarter.
Sam Dalby opened the scoring with his first goal in a Whites’ shirt before John McAtee – whose brother James progressed through City’s academy ranks before moving to Nottingham Forest in the summer – quickly made it 2-0.
Aaron Morley, who also spent time in the City youth ranks, then made it three with a deflected effort to wrap up the points and leave Steven Schumacher’s men needing a point at the most from their final group game at Oldham to progress to the knock-out phase and the last-32.
Despite making 10 changes to the side that had over-powered Wigan Athletic in last Saturday’s derby, Wanderers were still too strong for City’s rookies, who were captained by former Whites’ loanee Luke Mbete.
Mbete lined up in a defence that was easily opened up just nine minutes in when Cyrus Christie fed the ball through to McAtee, playing in a more advanced role alongside Dalby and taking the opportunity to slip the ball to his partner to steer the ball home from close in to open his Wanderers’ account.
McAtee then popped up on the opposite flank five minutes later and after running onto another through-ball, this time from Ibrahim Cissoko, went for goal himself and delivered with a cool finish curled into the far corner.
Morley’s shot from a Dalby lay-off then found the net via a deflection past stricken City keeper Jack Wint to a muted response from a Wanderers’ side which was never seriously tested.
City’s fans took it in good humour as they got behind their young side, while Wanderers’ boss Schumacher took the opportunity to make two changes at the break with George Johnston, the only one of Saturday’s side to start again, replaced by Chris Forino and Kyle Dempsey coming for Josh Sheehan to make a welcome comeback.
The midfielder had been out since April and got some useful miles into the legs, as well as setting up Dalby for a shooting chance which saw the big striker bring a flying save out of Wint with an hour gone.
The teenage keeper was less certain from a free-kick moments later as he almost allowed Dempsey a tap-in before City almost had something to show for their greater share of possession when Justin Oboavwoduo rattled a post, possibly via the finger tips of Tyler Miller.
It was then Wint’s turn to step up again with an excellent block to deny Dempsey following a typical forward burst from the Wanderers’ man to meet a pass from Christie with a run and shot which looked set to cap his comeback with a goal.
Dempsey was behind many of the Whites’ best second-half moments, while Dalby might have doubled his tally with a late effort again saved by Wint, although City also came close to signing off with a deserved goal as Oboavwoduo was denied again – this time by Forino’s block as Wanderers clung onto their clean sheet.
Wanderers: Miller; Christie (Smith 75), Toal, Johnston (Forino HT), Taylor; Warren (Randall 61), Sheehan (Dempsey HT), Morley, Cissoko; McAtee (Forss 81), Dalby. Substitutes: Broome, Burstow.
Booked: Dalby
Manchester City U21s: Wint; Parker, Katongo, Mbete, McFarlane; Fapetu; Samba (McAidoo 62), Oboavwoduo; Muir, Sangare (Warhurst 71), Lawrence (Heskey 77). Substitutes: Brits, Feuba, Naylor, Noble.
Booked: Mbete
Referee: Dale Baines
Attendance: 2,763 (641 away)