Man City Res v Everton Res

Yakubu stepped up his rehabilitation with another 45 minutes of action as Everton Reserves suffered a 4-1 defeat at Manchester City.

The Nigerian played the first half of an entertaining encounter at Eastlands, but found chances at a premium as the hosts dominated early on.

Goals from Greg Cunningham and David Ball put the hosts two ahead inside 17 minutes, but while Adam Forshaw cut the deficit and Ian Turner saved a penalty, Ball's second and another from Javan Vidal added emphasis to the scoreline.

Holden was able to name another first-team regular in Dan Gosling, while Jose Baxter and James Wallace, the midfielder who made his Everton debut in last week's 1-1 draw against Sigma Olomouc, also started.

Unsurprisingly, Everton's first chance fell the way of Yakubu. Drilling low towards Gunnar Nielsen's near post, the goalkeeper appeared to divert the Nigerian's effort off the line with his trailing leg. With the hosts going on to dictate much of the first 45, it would prove his only notable chance on goal.

City's response was to test Turner almost immediately, Kieran Tripper squaring for Paul Marshall to blast a first-time shot the Scot did well to palm away.

But the chance proved the catalyst for an enduring spell of pressure from the hosts which would produce two goals. First, on 12 minutes, Ball beat Turner to a throughball to bravely prod home, before Cunningham completed a jinking run four minutes later by thundering in from a narrowing angle.

In truth, Holden's side were still waiting for City's dominance to subside when Forshaw, 10 yards out, neatly fired past Nielsen to cut the deficit 17 minutes before the break.

To Everton's frustration, the hosts then started the second half as brightly as they had the first. Turner had already produced a save of real class to deny substitute James Poole when Ball picked out Vidal on 54 minutes to slot a third from close range.

The Blues had also lost the threat of Yakubu, the Nigerian having made his half-time departure.

His replacement Cody Arnoux brought a penalty appeal with his first foray forward but it was quickly turned away.

Everton looked keen to forge a path back into the game though, Forshaw and Agard both trying their luck from range. Delightfully threaded through by the impressive Hope Akpan, the latter saw another opportunity scuppered only by a last-ditch tackle from Ben Mee.

City were presented a golden opportunity to add to the scoreline when Turner brought down Cunningham in the box with 10 minutes remaining, but the goalkeeper made amends, diving to his left to keep out Alex Nimley's tame spotkick.

Akpan saw a shot cleared off the line late on, while Turner added to his scrapbook of saves, tipping a rasping drive from Ball over the crossbar. The striker had the last laugh however, calmly beating the Blues stopper with three minutes remaining.