Reading 1 (Webb 24)
Manchester City 3 (Sturridge 31, 57, 75)

Eamonn Dolan's under 18s were edged out of the FA Youth Cup this evening, beaten 3-1 by Manchester City.

The Royals took the lead but City wormed their way back into the game and Reading were ultimately undone by a hat-trick from opposition striker Daniel Sturridge.

The Royals took a deserved lead midway through the first half, Josh Webb hammering home a loose ball inside the box.

But Reading's advantage lasted only seven minutes, Sturridge curling a classy 20-yard effort past Alex McCarthy for the equaliser.

And a confident City side stole a second before the hour, when Sturridge - a player who earned two first team appearances at City last season - tapped home a knockdown from yards out.

Reading pushed hard for an equaliser, but Sturridge took advantage of some space at the other end to drill a deflected third past Alex McCarthy and complete his hat-trick.

Manchester City will now meet Bristol City in the Fifth Round, while the Royals have to wait until next year.

Reading: McCarthy; Kelly, Spence, Cox, Hateley (c); Bayley (Frewen 65), Sigurdsson, Webb, Illugason (Bossman 65), Bignall (Bryant 77), ; Vasilev,
Subs: Kitteridge, Mitchell
Yellow: Kelly, Spence

Manchester City: Hartley; Tripper, McGivern, Boyata, Mee (c); Kay, Tsiaklis (Ibrahim 57), Weiss, McDermott; Ball, Sturridge.
Subs: Nimely-Tchuimeni, Clegg, Tutte, Mak
Yellow: McGivern, Tsiaklis

Attendance: 1,265

First half
The first chance fell to Reading three minutes in. Radoslav Vasilev won a corner on the left and Gylfi Sigurdsson swung it in towards the far post. Patrick Cox rose well to get a head to it and Gregory Hartley had to be alert to push the ball around his stanchion.

And only four minutes later the same two combined again, Sigursson delivering a deep free kick from the right and Cox towering above his marker to powerfully head an effort inches over the City crossbar.

City were fielding the only player with first team experience - 18-year-old Daniel Sturridge played twice under Stuart Pearce last season; making his debut as a late substitute in Reading's 2-0 win at Eastlands in February.

And it was Sturridge's pace that was causing Reading's defence the most trouble - the no.10 scampered onto a long ball that was allowed to bounce and only a last ditch tackle from Josh Webb 10 yards out prevented the striker getting a shot away.

A minute later a right-sided cross saw his strike partner come closer, David Ball with a stooped header that spiralled over the bar from a few yards out.

Midway through the half, Kelly won a free kick that earned McGivern a caution and Sigursson another chance to delivered another brilliant ball. Cox again thundered goalwards with his forehead. It flew just over but the Sigurdsson set pieces were finding their target.

23 minutes gone and City had a set piece of their own. Kelly hung out a leg and tripped Donal McDermott but Kieran Trippier hammered it into the wall and the return ball sailed behind for a goal kick. The defence was doing its job.

And a minute later, Reading took the lead deservedly. A cross from the left was intercepted by McDermott inside his own box and it fell loose. Josh Webb was quickest to react and he pounced on it to rifle and unstoppable drive inside the left upright for 1-0.

Again City were caught in possession and Sigurdsson almost made them pay - the Icelander driving low just wide of the left post from just outside the area.

Despite Reading's dominance, just after the half hour City were level. Sturridge edged inside from the right flank looking for the space to shoot. Daniel Spence was in close attendance but the striker arced a great effort inside the far post from the area of the box. An excellent finish Alex McCarthy could do nothing about.

The Royals went in search of another lead. Harrison Bayley saw his shot deflected over and from the corner Cox connected with a low Sigurdsson delivery that spooned over the bar.

But the final chance of the half fell to City's Ball. Kelly conceded a corner in added time and it was nodded down inside the box. Ball swivelled on it to hook the loose ball goalwards, but McCarthy blocked the scuffed effort well to keep the teams level.

Second half
Eamonn Dolan's side began the second half brightly. Vasilev did well to keep the ball on the edge of the City area early on, he slid the ball into Sigurdsson and switching it onto his left foot he drove goalwards but lashed it wide of the far post.

But before the hourmark, City had taken the lead. A deep free kick was nodded down by Dedryck Boyata at the far post. The ball bobbled across the face of goal and Sturridge stole in to tap home at the far post from no more than a yard out.

The yellow boots of Nicholas Bignall almost set up a counter attack but Vasilev's right sided cross was too deep, and minutes later Sigurdsson couldn't deflect Webb's drilled cross from the left goalwards.

Reading were pressing for a route back into the tie, but City were hanging on - Sigurdsson's free kick curling agonisingly wide of the near post with 20 minutes remaining.

City put the game beyond doubt though with 15 minutes remaining. The ball was swept from left to right and Sturridge chested it under control. He took a touch onto his left foot and drilled a low strike past McCarthy's despairing dive. The shot took a slight deflection on its way through but that was the frontman's hat-trick.

Reading refused to give up. Sigurdsson struck an effort from the edge of the area but it was blocked and despite Reading hurling cross after cross into the box towards the end, City's defence stood strong.

Kelvin Bossman had a stabbed injury time effort well blocked by a sliding tackle and that was the last chance of a fiercely fought cup encounter.