STOKE CITY'S Under 18's brought the curtain down on an impressive Premier Academy League campaign with hugely creditable draw against Manchester City at the Clayton Wood Training Ground on Friday afternoon.

Adrian Pennock's side, who were full value for their point, will feel slightly aggrieved not to have gained full revenge for their 6-0 defeat earlier this season and taken all three points, having led for the majority of the game.

The impressive Andy Nicholls stole a march on the Citizens defence to clinically head home his sixth goal of the campaign in the eleventh minute, before the visitors pegged the hosts back with ten minutes remaining thanks to a close range strike.

The game itself was deprived of clear-cut chances as both sides continued to cancel each other out, though City Coach Pennock feels his side could have snatched all three points late on.

"I thought the lads were fantastic once again," he commented. "When you consider they beat us 6-0 at their place earlier on this season, that speaks volumes for how well the lads did today.

"As the game went on I thought we looked the more likely to win it, but a draw is a superb result against a very good Manchester City side. The lads were desperate to end the season with a win but they did themselves and everyone at the Academy proud.

"To be fair to them, they have done that all season, and I made sure all of them knew that when we had a little word together after the game.

"A lot of them will move on now and I along with everyone else at the Academy wish them all the very best. They have been a great bunch of lads to work with."

Under 18's (4-5-1): Parton; Hedley, McDonald, Cohen (Sinclair 80), Foster; Vickers (Mitchell 80), Connor, Stockhall, Nicholls, Urwin; Alexander.